The Curse Of The Yeti

The Curse Of The Yeti

By Simon Osborne

Introduction

The main character in this story is an
adventurer living in the mystical world of
Ansk. What is unusual about this character

is that he or she looks a lot like you. Exactly
like you, in fact. This is because Ansk is a
parallel world to our own. The same people

that live on Earth populate Ansk; they just
perform different roles. Your role on Ansk is
that of a would-be hero, a dashing

swordsman, a noble knight, or however you
would like to be if you lived in a world where

the unreal was real.

This adventure is written in typical

gamebook format. Start reading from the
paragraph where you are instructed to begin.
To commence reading this gamebook, please

turn to paragraph 1. After reading the
opening few paragraphs, which help to set
the scene for the adventure, you will be faced

with a choice of directions. You must choose
where to go, and turn to the paragraph

indicated. Eventually you will reach a
paragraph where there are no exits. Either
you will have "died", meaning that you

cannot complete the task set for you, or you
will have succeeded. It will be quite apparent
which of these applies by the way the

paragraph is worded. Do not read
paragraphs unless you are specifically
instructed to go there; doing so can decrease

the fun of the game; and, after all, you do
want to have fun, don't you?

This particular gamebook differs from many
in that there is no formulated combat
system, although you may be asked to roll

dice to create a random number. If you do
not have any dice handy, you may randomly
choose a number. Don't worry, I won't tell

anyone.

What you will need is some paper and

something with which to write. This is to
record what items you are carrying. You

could try just remembering them, but your
memory is liable to forget an item you have,
or even remember an item you don't have!

You start with no items. If in the course of
your adventure you come across an item, it
will be displayed in Bold Print. Note it down

(remembering to pay the price in gold pieces
if necessary) and you definitely own the item.

Now that you have read these brief rules, you
are almost ready for the adventure. As a final

word of warning, I must tell you that Ansk is
a dangerous place, populated by monsters
and untrustworthy people. You must choose

your friends wisely; otherwise, you may live
to regret it.

So, buckle on your sword and get ready for
action. You will find the beginning of the
adventure at paragraph 1.

The Adventure

The winters are harsh in these northern
realms, but you have been forced to get used

to it over these past few weeks as you have
taken a job guarding caravans travelling
along the trade route from Sturovf to Surrig.

It is a poorly paid job, but it was the only one
available in Surrig, where you found yourself
after following a known felon to these

northerly lands. You captured him, finally,
and handed him over to the authorities, but

you did not have enough money to pay for a
coach trip back to the lands of your birth.
Hence, the boring job on pitiable pay that

you find yourself stuck with.

Your job is to guard a troupe of caravans

that stop off at every north-man settlement
along the several-hundred mile trade route.
It is an uncomfortable journey, particularly

since you have to travel ahead of the convoy,
eyes peeled for traps, ambushes or
impassable roads. The tundra, the name

given to the land terrain that you are
travelling through, is barren and desolate,

covered in frost and snow for nine months of
the year. According to Khris, the owner of the
caravan company, in the late spring and

summer it is awash with brightly coloured
flowers, and many creatures come out from
hibernation to bask in the warm sunshine.

Unfortunately, it is the third month since
yuletide, and spring has yet to come to this
vast, icy desert.

It is late one night, as you are settling down

to rest, that the sound of a horn breaks the
silence, echoing off rocks and the few
diseased trees for miles around. You quickly

rise and find Khris, who tells you that in
these northlands, the sound of a horn almost
always means distress; it is a request for

assistance. Another trader rushes over to
you, telling you that the sound came from
the next settlement along the route, a small

village of about fifty north-men. Khris turns
to you and asks you to scout ahead.

Reluctantly you agree and saddle the horse
provided, making a prompt start.

You pick your way carefully through the ice
and snow; a lantern held aloft in your right
hand, the bridle held in your left. It is just

after midnight that you arrive at the

settlement, but none of your adventuring
exploits could have prepared you for the

bloody scene of carnage that waited there for
you.

The wooden doors of the wooden barricade
encircling the village have been completely
ripped from their hinges. One lies in the

snow about twenty-five paces away. You
quietly dismount and tie up your horse.
Entering through the remains of the gates,

you are struck by the bloodbath inside. No
one has survived the onslaught; the horn
and all around is silent now, and eve more

shall be so. The bodies of the men have been
butchered in unspeakable ways, and most

are covered in the claw-marks of what seems
to be a huge creature with inhuman
strength. Many or the bodies have bite-

marks on them, and some are missing limbs.
Shocked and repulsed, and more than a little
worried about whether the beast that did this

is still here, you carefully pick your way back
over the wreckage of what was once a
thriving community and leave.

You remount your horse without delay and,

heedless of the potentially dangerous terrain,
you gallop as fast as you dare back along the
trail towards the encampment of traders. As

you speedily return, snow begins to fall from
the dark sky, gently settling on the ground,
covering all in a blanket of white oblivion.

Turn to 209.

You question the burly man as to these
parts. “Seek the Friar of Teckleton,” he

advises, “far to the north of here. He is a
learned man. Now, if you'll excuse me.” He
goes back to serving and wiping mugs. You

leave him to his business. Now you may talk
to the humans (turn to 62) or have you
finished talking (turn to 11)?

After some time alone in the wilderness, you

crest a hill and see that you are headed for a
quaint village. Your spirits soar at the
opportunity to talk to other humans for the

first time in several days, although you are
apprehensive about the occupants of such a

northerly town; they may well be mean and
surly, not friendly and helpful. The path you

are following leads straight into the centre of
the town, but a newly formed detour looks a
possible option. You stride quickly down the

hill and reach the settlement in a few
minutes. Turn to 76.

You soon walk through the last of the trees
and leave the eerie forest. The wind

immediately begins to bite deeper due to the
lack of protection that the trees provided.
You walk along trudging through the deep

snow, sure that you are following the path
because of the hump in the snow. After

several kilometres, the track continues no
farther north, and you have to turn to the
west. Turn to 39.

Your blow is accurate and correct. You hit
the creature in its already-wounded thigh

and, screaming in pain, it collapses to the
floor, writhing in agony. It is an easy matter

to bring the Yeti's evil reign of terror to a
fitting conclusion. Turn to 230.

Suddenly, and without warning, you feel a
pain in your stomach, like a fireball. You
gasp and collapse against the bar. You

persuade the Barkeep to pour you a Dragon
Brand. You manage to drink this, and it

deadens the pain in your stomach. The
mixture of these two beers has a strange
effect on you. Turn to 124.

You push open the door, noting the simple
decor of the room. A fire burns merrily in the

hearth, warming you to the bone. Shaking
the snow from your thick furs, you make

your way over to where the Innkeeper is
waiting and enquire of the price of a room for
the night. He replies that it is a non-

negotiable 3 gold coins. If you are
considering stopping here tonight, you
should first engage the barman in idle chit-

chat (turn to 178). Otherwise, you turn up
your collar and return to the junction. You
walk through the night. Turn to 29.

The path curves gently around until you are

heading east. The faint snowfall stops and
the sun appears in the cold, blue sky. The
eastern horizon is clear; there is nothing to

see. You look down at the floor; shielding
your eyes from snow-glare, and when you

look up you are surprised that you have
stumbled across a hitherto unseen fountain.

The path and grass nearby are completely
devoid of snow, and a man is lying, curled up
asleep, on the wayside. He looks contented

enough. The water from the fountain jets
about three metres into the air to land in a

pool at the base, surrounded by limestone. A
carved fish atop a ring of five stone steps
spews the water into the air. The water looks

cool, clear and icy. You may taste the water
(turn to 109). The figure looks deep in sleep,
but you may try to wake them if you wish

(turn to 138). Alternatively, you may
continue onwards (turn to 15).

You draw your Sword and attack. However,
the beast easily flicks aside your swing,

knocking you off your feet. You land in the
snow about five metres away. The Yeti moves
in for the kill. If you have an item you would

like to try, then quickly turn to 167. If you
do not, you had better try to escape. Turn to
116.

You travel north for a few miles, critically
examining the diminishing light in the
western sky. The chill wind blows colder and

you begin to look keenly to the left and right
for some form of shelter for the night. Ahead

is a junction. You realise that you must soon
rest, so you quickly decide on your course of
action. Continue either East (turn to 129) or

West (turn to 89).

You bid farewell to the Barkeeper and leave

through the door, sorry to be taking your
leave of the roaring fire in the hearth.

Outside it seems that the cold has deepened
and the freezing wind bites once more into
your face and hands. You once more set off

on your travels. Are you going northwest
(turn to 216) or are you moving in an
easterly direction (turn to 185)?

You sweep your eyes over the vast bleary

vista. The snow in places reaches your thighs
and you have to push against the snow with
your feet to move. No one has travelled this

roadway for many months; in fact, it is little
more than a track. Ahead you can see a
signpost covered in snow. You kick the

signpost, sending soft, wet snow in all
directions. The North-westerly arrow reads
“RIVER", whereas to the Northeast the arrow

reads "TECKLETON TOR". You may go

towards the river (turn to 159) or,
alternatively, Teckleton Tor (turn to 180).

This could be very effective, but only if you

have a projectile weapon to fire it from. If you
possess an Oak Bow then use it by turning
to 208. If you do not, return to 167.

You push open the oaken doors and enter
the church. Inside the smell of beeswax
candles, long since extinguished pervades

the clear, crisp air. Five rows of pews are
split down the middle by a narrow aisle and,
although old and cramped, this church us

surprisingly clean. Despite the lack of
illumination, you can just make out a pulpit

and so make your way over to it. A small
flight of steps curves up to it and, about one
metre from the floor, the pulpit resides,

overlooking the entire hall. A lectern is on
the pulpit upon which lies an open book. It is
not warm in the chapel, but it provides

protection from the snow and wind. You may
leave now (turn to 143). If you have been
somewhere similar and the friar is deceased,

then turn immediately to 148. Otherwise,
you may search the pulpit (turn to 127), or

the seats (turn to 227). If you do not then
you settle down for the night (turn to 117).

You turn your back on the prostrate figure

and leave. You re-enter the snow-drenched
wilds and feel as though you have just woken

from an exquisite dream. You miserably go
back to staring at the ground to avoid snow-
blindness and trudge onwards. The path

curves around again until you are travelling
north through a snowdrift. Turn to 30.

"Well I never!" exclaims the Friar. "I never
expected the dragon's question to be

answered in my lifetime! I am jolly pleased it
has been, though, as it means I can go to
Ordoker village without travelling miles out

of my way. I am indeed most indebted to you,
sir." You show the Friar the charm and he
nods excitedly. “Yes, I remember the legends.

Recite the spell: SESQUIPA LANTIA
MERCORADIA and the beast will be turned to
stone” (To use this, wait until you are told

you may do so, double the number of the
paragraph you are on and add 101 to it; this
is the paragraph you should then turn to.)

You thank the Friar and, after he has re-lit

the candles, bid him farewell. You settle
down to sleep on the pulpit. In the morning,

you leave and travel westwards past the
junction until the track turns roughly north
into the Ice Downs. Eventually, you reach a

large valley running north to south. You
carefully descend into it. Turn to 92.

You find it quite amazing quite how many
people live in such a small town in these

harsh northern lands. The thoroughfares of
Arkelon are small and narrow, so you have
little chance to escape from the crowd.

Overheard conversations seem to indicate
that for the first time in seven years the

world-famous Hanmor's Travelling Market
has returned, selling hard-to-find items,
exotic curios and products from far overseas.

They have been setting up stalls all over the
town. You manage to get hold of a specially
drawn map distributed to all the citizens by

the mayor, who has opened the Market.
There are several places that you may wish
to investigate.

In Smith Street, a Blacksmith has set up

shop. To go there, turn to 47.

In Curio Street, a Magic Marquee has been

set up. To go there, turn to 224.

A reputable trading company has a holding

in the Market Square. To visit here, turn to
213.

An Inn is situated on the far side of town. To
investigate this place, turn to 164.

To generally wander around town turn to
18.

Finally, if you want to leave Arkelon, you

may leave through the North Gate by

turning to 46, or the South Gate by
turning to 32, or the West Gate by
turning to 66, or the Southwest Gate by

turning to 55.

The town of Arkelon is smal1 in comparison
with Surrig, where you were staying until
you joined up with Khris, and there seems

little to do. At least the roads are regularly
swept clean of snow and slush. As you are
making your way along The Great North

Road, you see something glinting in the
snow. If you have not already done so, you
find a small Iron Hammer, abandoned in the

centre of the road. You may pocket this if

you wish before returning to the centre of
town. Return to 17.

"Yeti?" says the Blacksmith. "Is it a new Ale

from the Dragon Brewery? I don't know
anything about it mate, sorry. You might be
better off asking at the Magic Tent that has

just been set up. It won’t be here for much
longer. But, seeing as how you're here, would
you like to buy some of my wares?" If you

would like to browse his stock, turn to 65.
Otherwise, you politely decline and leave,
returning to the centre of town to get your

bearings. Return to 17.

You look critically at the sun, which is
rapidly retreating below the western horizon,
as you are pressing on through the cold and

deepening snow. The chill wind howls,
sending shivers down your spine and
conjuring up disturbing images in your

mind's eye. A derelict house looms up on the
horizon, and here you retreat, spending the

cold, lonely night sheltering from the hateful
winds that rush across heath and moor in
these wild, northern realms. At first light,

after a miserable night spent drifting in and
out of sleep, you arise and continue your
journey roughly northwards, looking for the

road. Turn to 68 to continue your
adventure.

You walk onward as the wind howls around
the leafless trees that are dotted around the

landscape causing strange, ghostly noises.
The leaden-grey sky adds weight to your
already floundering spirit, and the snow

begins to fall thicker and faster. Eerie noises
that cannot surely be caused by the wind
make you quicken your pace as you head

northwards, your feet sinking into the sticky
mud below the snow, and it becomes evident

that you have lost the path. You stop briefly
to get your bearings and set off either
Northwards (turn to 20) or Eastwards (turn

to
131).

It is about mid-morning when you reach the
hills, heading in a roughly northeast

direction. There are a good many twists and
turns as you follow the track, and you
eventually climb to a height of fifty metres.

As you rise above the shelter of the valley,
the full blast of the wind hits you, and you
have to steady yourself against a boulder. As

you begin to descend the far side of the hill,
sheltered now from the freezing blasts, you

turn your thoughts to making camp. You
spend the night in a cave and set off in the
morning at a brisk pace. The hills hamper

your speed, though, and it is about dusk
when you finally reach the flat expanse of

ice-plain beyond. Will you continue
Northwards (turn to 228) or Eastwards
(turn to 92)?

You trudge through the blizzard almost bent
double against the wind. It is only as you

notice a shadow that you look up and see the
pine forest ahead. Forests such as this one

provide homes for thousands of small
creatures in these bleak lands, and it might
provide much-needed shelter for you,

although you note the strange darkness
between the trees, and the unusual aura of
oppression that exudes from the woodland.

You may enter the forest along the northerly
track (turn to 115), along the track heading
to the north-west (turn to 156), or avoid it

by following a track west (turn to 186).

You are entering a range of low hills. Ahead
of you is a cleared path that you follow to a
chapel. You shelter in the eaves while

deciding what to do. You may enter the
chapel through heavy oaken doors (turn to
37) or trudge away North through the snow

(turn to 195).

You sit and think about your mission, glad to
be a safe haven. Surely, you think, all beasts
have a weakness. You meditate over what

you know about the feared beast, and fall
into a deep sleep; in which you dream you
are surrounded by a hundred Yetis dancing

in time to some unearthly beat. Suddenly
one screams and clutches at its arm, and

you awake with a start. You stand and move
on, unsure of what you have just witnessed.
You return South and head East. Turn to

182.

If you own a Golden Dagger or a Hammer,

the trader will be happy to give you 8 Gold
Coins for either; he is not interested in

anything else you may be carrying, If you
have sufficient funds, you may buy any of
the following, which the trader has for sale:

SEXTANT

5 GP

GOLDEN EGG

l3GP

BRONZE EFFIGY

BOOK OF FACTS

ANCIENT SILYER PIECES l0GP

DAGGER

8 GP

CANDLES (12) 2

LANTERN

4 GP

OIL SKIN

BONE DIE

4 SP

IVORY HORN

GOLD RING

l7GP

DIAMOND

2 SP

MAP OF ARKELON

You must purchase at least one item from
him; he simply will not let you leave until
you have! When you have finished browsing

his wares, turn to 105.

Your encounter with the dragon has made
you wary, and you keep your hand on the
pommel on your sword as you walk onward.

After stopping to rest at midday, you
continue through the freshly fallen snow.
You reach the top of a hill and look down on

a small settlement. Night is setting in, and
the wind is biting cold. You may enter the

settlement by turning to 76. If you choose
not to, you make a detour around the village.
After a careful search of the surrounding

area, you find an abandoned cabin nearby,
in which you spend a damp, miserable night.
When morning comes, you collect you things

and leave. As you walk, once again the
beauty of nature strikes you, despite your
restless night; even in this harsh wilderness,

you can see her magical touch. The snow
lends a mystical aura to the environment,

covering the ground in a thick, white
blanket. Turn to 90 to continue.

As the freezing blast of wind strikes you,
snow begins to fall causing you even more
discomfort. You close your eyes and continue

blind to save your eyes from the stinging
discomfort. When you open your eyes a few

brief seconds later, you see a terrifying
apparition ahead of you. A huge white
dragon, indigenous to these snow-lands,

hovers over the road a few metres ahead of
you. Its eyes are milky white, and its pure-
white scales make it impossible to spot

unless it reveals itself. White dragons are
renown for their love of riddles and enigmas.
It speaks in a rich, deep, mocking voice.

“Mortal, I welcome you here to my path.
None have passed since I claimed it for my

own. You are either very foolish or very clever
to come here, but, either way, I salute your

bravery." You try to speak, but are too afraid
to say that you didn’t know it owned this

path. He continues after a brief pause. "To
pass me you must answer me this
unanswered question. Answer correctly, and

you may pass, and I must leave to seek other
pleasures. If I win, I get to chew on your

bones. Agreed?" Without waiting for an
answer, he goes on to pose the riddle:

"Where it is, you cannot see,
Where it is not, you may.
Formed it is of the briny sea

What is it? You may now say. "

You are struck by the dreadful doggerel that

the dragon has just spun you, and you
realise that the dragon is obviously a

youngster, exploring the world and causing
mischief. Less afraid now, but still aware
that an angry young dragon is a formidable

opponent, you turn your thoughts to trying
to decipher the riddle.

1f you think you know the answer to this
riddle add the alphabetical position values of
each of the letters together (A=1, B=2, C=3,

... Z=26) and deduct 1 from this score. Then
multiply the score by three and turn to that
paragraph. So, for example, if the answer

was tree (which it obviously isn't), then T=20,
R=18, E=5, E=5 (20+18+5+5-1=) 47. 47

multiplied by 3 equals 141, so you would
turn to 141. If the paragraph you turn to
makes no sense – and you are only allowed

one attempt - then you were wrong (turn to
59). If you want to attack the dragon, turn
to 226. If you wish to make a break for it,

turn to 88.

Morning had promised good weather, but
you are no forecaster of the conditions, and
you were oblivious to all the signs that

pointed otherwise. The foul wind bites into
you, making you yearn for the balmy
southern reaches of Khel. You are having

regrets about ever having come to this icy
wilderness. You reach the crest of a hill and
gaze out over a village some way to the north.

Reaching the bottom of the hill, you must
decide whether to follow the track East (turn

to 221) or West (turn to 94).

You travel northwards through the deep

snow for a number of kilometres. The
scenery is uninspiring, and to the north, you
can just make out some hills on the horizon,

many kilometres away. You continue your
journey until you arrive at a junction in the

pathway where you must choose to go East
(turn 221) or West (turn to 94).

As you are walking, you notice a large

boulder of granite to your left. You decide to
rest here briefly as the good weather might
last. As you make to leave, you notice that

the boulder has some words etched into it.
They read `Visions cannot be trusted -
Ponder only what you hear.' Wondering

about what the words might mean, and who
put them here, you set off Northeast along
the track. Turn to 82.

You make your way through the narrow

streets to the South Gate. Bidding farewell Io
the guards, you walk through and leave the
settlement. Outside you experience the

familiar thrill of the silence and solitude of
the wilderness. There is little snow on the
ground, barely impeding your progress. You

travel all day. The pathway has turned east,
away from the mountains. As the light begins

to fade, you arrive at a derelict mansion,
which you think may have once been an inn,
long since abandoned and derelict. You may

enter this building (turn to 35) or spend a
freezing night under the stars and return
North (turn to 40).

How many scrolls did you buy from The

Mage's Emporium? If you bought only one
scroll, turn to 204. If you bought two or
more scrolls, turn to 74.

You hand over the money and walk up the
stairs. Your room is small, but cosy, painted

in pale muted colours. A dresser with a huge
mirror set into the middle of it stands against

the far wall, facing your bed, which is soft
and yielding. You settle down to sleep almost
immediately. In the morning, you awake from

a dream in which you defeat the Yeti in
single combat by striking it on the leg. You
rise and return to the centre of the town to

decide where to go. Return to 17.

Inside the doorway is a trapped flagstone,
which is set with a Rune of Blasting. If you
had stood upon it, the pressure would have

caused it to trigger, exploding violently and,
in the process, harming you rather badly.
You enter the house and note that the rooms

are sparsely furnished. A mahogany
staircase leads up to a second floor above

you. You may search the downstairs rooms
(turn to 183) or the upstairs (turn to 61).

Alternatively, you may leave (turn to 99).

You continue northeast for a few kilometres
alongside the river. In places, snow has built
up in deep drifts, often causing you to

flounder, but you keep to your course, urged
on by the rushing babbling of the river. Trees
grow here, along the bank, where water is

fresh and plentiful, and you spot more than
a few game birds roosting in the branches.
By mid-morning you have reached a bridge

across the fast-flowing torrent. It is very low
to the surface, and its rickety frame seems to

shake rather a lot due to the action of the
waters. You may cross this (turn to 162) or
continue in the direction you are travelling

(turn to 170).

You push open the heavy oak door and enter

the small chapel. Taking in your
surroundings, you stand in awe of the

stained glass windows depicting mythical
dragon slayers; the great detail and obvious
effort that has gone into the work humbles

you. Above you, the oaken beams disappear
into darkness. Indeed, the only light in the
room comes mainly from low-burning

candles. It is very smoky in the chapel,
causing you to cough. There are chairs here,
set in rows and made of wood and metal,

turned toward the pulpit. A few steps lead up
to this, and a lectern stands up there,

presiding over the hall. You may search the
seats (turn to 157) or the pulpit (turn to
198).

Otherwise, you settle down to sleep and leave
in the morning. Turn to 193.

You step gingerly into the freezing waters,
steeling your self against the cold, and begin

to swim out towards the centre. About
halfway there, you get cramps in your legs
and stomach. Wincing in acute pain, you try

to turn around and return to the shore, but
you cannot make it to the shallows. The last
thing you ever see is the sun, high above

you, looking down on you in an almost
gloating fashion. Your adventure ends here,
at the bottom of the Pool of False Visions.

The foul east wind blows freezing snow into
your eyes as you continue your lonesome

trek in these bleak, abandoned lands. You
yearn for company, and you feel that you

would give all that you have just to see
someone you knew, even that old miser

Khris. The track splits ahead of you, and you
are forced to choose whether to travel North
(turn to 69) or East (turn to 3) or West (turn

to 188).

Ahead of you is a town, which you recognise
as Arkelon. You enter the town behind a hay
cart and nip quickly between the

unobservant guards. Inside people are going
in droves toward the market square and you
are pushed along with them. Turn to 17.

You travel west for several kilometres, and

the bleak and desolate landscape does little
to revive your floundering spirits. It is after
several miserable hours that you reach a

hut, the first sign of civilisation in many
hours. It is in a bad state of repair, and the
roof appears to have collapsed some time

ago. Tree branches and shrubs, nature's
vandals, smashed all the windows long ago.

The door is hanging open off its hinges and
you may enter if you wish (turn to 176) or
continue your journey (turn to 216).

The priest casually asks you what brings you
so far north. You reply that you came to visit

this famous chapel. He is extremely pleased
that Yeti have come to visit, and admits that

few people visit here anymore, You talk for
some time about the architecture of the
building before you begin to yawn, the

exertions of the day taking their toll on you.
He replaces the candles and bids you
farewell. Now you may choose to explore the

rest of the church (turn to 194). Otherwise,
you settle down to sleep and leave in the
morning. Turn to 193.

After following the river southwest for about

a day, you arrive at a disused hut just as the
sun sinks below the horizon. Here you spend
the night, safe from the blizzard that blows

up overnight. You are unable to leave the hut
until midday, so you use the time to
investigate the tools that are strewn across

the floor, although you find nothing. When
the snowstorm has abated somewhat, you

leave and set off again. Soon afterwards, you
come to a bridge spanning the freezing
waters. The ancient stonework has crumbled

after many years of service, but it is safe to
cross, and you continue following the track
across it northwards. Turn to 78.

You hold the talisman above your head and
attempt to release its power. If you know

what to do now, you should be able to work
out where to go now. Otherwise, return to

167 and choose what to do.

You draw your sword and leap at the man.

Before your blow has chance to land, he
mutters some strange-sounding words. A
huge ball of multi-coloured fire explodes in

the air around you, causing you fatal burns.
You drop to the ground, becoming food for

the wild animals in these icy wastes. Sadly,
your violent nature has brought about your
downfall in these cold, unrelenting lands.

As you leave by the North Gate, a guard
warns you to be wary of a great white beast

in the snows to the north. Thanking him, you
continue on your way, out into the bleak

heaths and moors where nothing grows save
for the hardiest purple heathers. After
travelling for some time, the track you are

following splits. You ignore the southwest
track as it only leads away from your goal,
the northerly, freezing steppes. You follow

the other fork, which leads off in a vaguely
Northeast direction. Turn to 8.

The smithy is a converted stable where a
large, noisy forge has been constructed. The

bare-chested man who is the Blacksmith
comes over to you and asks what your
business is here. You may question him

about your quest (turn to 19) or ask to see
his wares (turn to 65) or leave (return to 17
and choose where to go next).

You kneel and pray, hoping to invoke divine

providence. The Yeti, however, has no
respect for God. In your prone position, it
has no trouble hitting you with its massive,

wickedly clawed forearms. You have no
defence against the terrible onslaught of the
Yeti and he finishes you off easily. You

adventure ends here, on the brink of
success.

The man replies that it costs 1 gold coin to
spend the night here. You pay this willingly.

Turn to 34.

You swing the Axe at the beast, but it is so
heavy that it pulls you off-balance. You

stumble to the right, and the beast, seeing its
chance, slashes at you with its claws.

Dropping your axe, you turn and run. Turn
to 116.

You grip the Throwing Dagger and throw it
straight and true into the Yeti's eye.
However, this only seems to enrage your

opponent. You have lost your dagger, and
must return to 167 to decide your next line

of attack.

You hand over the money and purchase the

scroll. On it is written the Fool's Gold Spell.
Note this down, along with the scroll number
(#1). You may now buy Scroll #2 (turn to

222), Scroll #3 (turn to 64) or Scroll #4
(turn to 196). Alternatively, if you have

finished spending your money, you may talk
to the owner (turn to 33) or leave (return to
17 to decide where to go next).

You strike the man dead where he stands.
He collapses to the floor, a pool of blood

surrounding the prone corpse. He is once
more in a state of repose: a permanent one.

You search the body; hut he was carrying
nothing of any value. You decide that you
would like to be away from this place as soon

as possible. There is nothing more to do than
follow the track Northeast. Turn to 30.

"I don't know very much about the Yeti," he
says as he hands over your purchases, "but

that it is surely a fearsome beast. It is said
that weapons cannot harm it, although
perhaps it has another weakness." You

thank him for his oblique advice and leave.
Outside, you critically examine the quality of
your purchases as you make your way back

to the centre of town. Return to 17 to decide
where to go next.

You leave by the southwest gate and follow
the track for almost an hour unti1 it curves

rotund to head west; and then, after some
kilometres, north. Turn to 80.

Despite the icy temperatures, you trudge
ever onwards through the deepening snow.

The sun is high in the sky tantalising you
with promises of warmth, but its heat seems

unable to reach your bones. You plod on
expectantly, waiting for some break in the
monotonous, dreary vista. But all around is

barren and unchangeable. At the next
junction, you turn to head north. Turn to

125.

You cross the ancient stone bridge, pausing

briefly to look down into the deep, cold
waters of the river, and continue west. Turn
to 165.

For three days and three nights, you traverse

the tricky mountain paths. Sometimes you
are walking between massive, towering
peaks, down stone-strewn gullies. Other

times, you are following the narrow track,
precariously clinging to the side of a mount,
with deep drops to your side, down into

black oblivion, where even the sunlight could
not penetrate. The icy wind bites deep and

frequently you curse your wasted time.
Eventually, on the fourth day, you reach a
pass and find a track leading out into the

foothills. Continue your Northern sojourn by
turning to 56.

The dragon smiles wickedly. "Wrong," he
gleefully cries. He flies toward you at great

speed, transfixing you with his milky-white
eyes. Unable to escape from such a
magnificent predator, you are plucked from

the ground in huge talons, and taken back to
the dragon's lair; he will eat well tonight.
Unfortunately, your adventure ends here on

the Ordoker road.

You walk south for many days. The weather
is reasonably mild, although there are
several brief flurries of snow each day, and

the landscape is drear, with not so much as
a tree to break the bleak vista.

It takes you seven days to reach the end of
the road, which terminates in a major city,
where you spend a further two weeks being

cared for by those in true medical profession,
suffering as you are from exposure. You are

advised to forsake your quest and return to
the warmer climes of the south, and you are
forced to concede that the Yeti could be

anywhere by now. Packing your bags, you
take the wide Great South Road away from
this arctic tundra.

Eventually, the bad weather abates and you

enter the temperate realms of your birth. You
decide to forsake your mission in the
unpleasant, cold northlands, and head off

south in search of warmer adventures. Sadly,
your quest for the Yeti ends here, in the

western lands, but happily, you have
escaped with your life.

Glad to be out of the cold wind, you set
about examining the stairs. There are no
traps, but they do creak dreadfully as you

ascend. Upstairs, the interior walls have
mostly collapsed, leaving one large room.

Dust lies thickly on the floor; although your
movements disturbs it, filling the air with a
million tiny motes, glinting in the sunlight

infiltrating through the grimy windows.
There is a large bed set against one exterior
wall, with something underneath it,

glistening in the last rays of sunlight. You
carefully reach under the bed and draw out a
magnificent Sword, much greater in quality

than any you have owned. You readily place
it in your scabbard. Happy with your find,

you decide to settle down. Here you spend
the night, leaving in the morning. Turn to
99.

The humans look at you in a bored fashion.
They are gambling on a card game. You greet

them, but they ignore you and continue to
play cards. You offer to join the game, upping

the stakes, but they pointedly tell you to get
lost. The Barkeep comes over to ask them to
keep the noise down, but one man, who has

had too much Scimitar Ale, hits him, starting
a brawl, which rapidly escalates into a
violent melee. You snatch 28 Gold Coins

from the table while nobody is looking and
move to leave hurriedly. As you leave, you
notice that the Barkeep is beginning to calm

things down by cracking the heads of the
gamblers with a cast iron skillet. He can take

care of himself. Turn to 11.

You awake feeling refreshed. You lie in your

bed for a few minutes, savouring the comfort
and warmth before you force yourself to get
out and dress. You gather your things

together and go downstairs, the first person
to awake today. After checking out, the

manager tells you that today is market day
in Ordoker. You may choose to pay it a visit
(turn to 153) or leave town (turn to 154).

You hand over the gold and unfurl the scroll.
On it is written the Spell of Light. Note this

down, along with the scroll number (#3). You
may now buy Scroll #1 (turn to 52), Scroll

#2 (turn to 222), or Scroll #4 (turn to 196).
Or, if you have finished spending your
money, you may talk to the owner (turn to

33) or leave (return to 17 to decide where to
go next).

You browse through the armour for sale,
thinking of the advantage it would give you

against the Yeti, but it is all too expensive; a
breastplate alone costs forty gold coins.
Deciding to set your sights a little lower, you

move over to where the weapons are kept on
display. Looking through the weapons, many
of which are as barbaric as they are exotic,

you come across a Sturdy Axe for 15 gold
coins. Purchase it if you desire (turn to 212)
or return to the centre of town (return to 17

to decide where to go next).

You leave by the West Gate and walk west
across the gently undulating landscape for a
few kilometres. There is only a slight dusting

of snow scattered across the ground. Several
hundred metres away, wary of you; you spot
arctic hares, constantly on the lookout for

arctic foxes, noses a-twitch for the scent of
predators. After some time, you realise that

you are now heading north. Continue
following the path by turning to 147.

You enter the room and suspiciously check
for any traps. You find none, but under the
bed is a Pearl-Handled Throwing Dagger.

You may keep this if you wish. The room is
kitted out cheaply, the bedclothes are

threadbare and the mattress of coarse woven
straw is uncomfortable to say the least, but
at least you have a roof over your head and

protection from the foul winds that blow
across the heaths here. You now retire to bed
and sleep. When morning comes, turn to 63.

You make your way in a roughly north-

westerly direction, worried about becoming
lost in these inhospitable, lonely lands. You
have heard tales of wild men who return to

civilisation after many years lost and alone
who can no longer remember how to talk,
and act just like the animals they have lived

with for so long, However, you have no need
of such concerns as after about twenty

minutes you manage to stumble across the
track once more. You set off, following it in a

roughly northern direction. Turn to 22.

You wish you were spared the accursed
wind. The snow is being driven into drifts
and you have to be careful not to stumble

into a hollow where you may not be able to
climb out due to the numbing cold. You turn
up your collar against the. You have resorted

to poking the ground in front of you with a
branch you snapped from a tree. Thus,
walking onwards has become a laborious

and time-consuming process, just to avoid
deep patches of snow. You have had to

retrace your steps several times, hut at least
you are relatively safe, if very cold. You reach
a junction. You may trek northwest away

from your goal (turn to 131) or Northeast
towards it (turn to 21).

You knock on the doer, which, after several
moments, is opened by an old man. He

ushers you into the house and sits you down
in a comfortable chair near to a roaring fire,
while calling to his wife to make you up some

supper. After you have finished your
delicious meal of chicken and vegetables, he
tells you that he regularly puts up strangers

as they travel for many miles to buy some of
his famous eggs - a delicacy all over the
northern lands. His chickens are apparently

the most pampered of any in the world, and
his love and kindness towards them causes

them to produce the tastiest eggs anywhere.
He offers to sell you one at the price of two
gold coins. You may buy one (turn to 123) or

talk to him about the Yeti (turn to 71) or
decline, thanking him, and retire to bed
(turn to 136).

"I'm sorry, but I don't know anything about

that,” says the farmer, apologetically. "I have
dedicated my life to producing the most
flavoursome eggs that money can buy. The

Yeti is a distraction from the pursuit of
excellence." You thank him and retire to bed.
Turn to 136.

With the wind whistling spookily through the

trees around you, you march ever onward
through the unbearable cold. You force
yourself to concentrate on something other

than the cold to try to ignore the discomfort.
Around you, the forest is dank and
foreboding, the depressing atmosphere

chilling you from your head to your toes. The
path finally joins another, taking your mind

from the aura of death that surrounds you.
You may travel West (turn to 120) or North
(turn to 229).

You grimace as the putrid tasting ale flows

down your throat. Its taste is akin to
ditchwater. Perhaps it is ditchwater. You
begin to retch involuntarily. You are so

desperate to get the taste from your mouth
that you pay three gold coins for another
drink. Turn to 124.

The man looks around, as if afraid of being

heard, and whispers confidentially to you.
"Go to Teckleton Tor," he says, “ far to the
west. Only there will you find answers to

your questions. Leave by the West Gate and
go north. Head west as soon as you can and
you'll arrive at Teckleton." He goes back to

his desk, talking idly to some people who are
browsing, all of whom appear to have more

money than you do, and you leave. Return
to 17 to decide where to go next.

You kneel on the cold stone floor and pray
for forgiveness. You begin to feel dizzy and
black out. Lose all items and turn to 1.

You reach the settlement by evening. It is

indeed a small village, and it is not afforded
protection by an encircling barricade. The
main road through the settlement runs east

to west, and virtually all the other
thoroughfares are little more than alleys,
snow-choked and narrow. You would need to

know where you are going in this place for
fear of getting lost. As it is approaching

sundown, the shops are all closed, and the
only place open is an inn. You may enter to
find the pricing (turn to 98) or leave (turn to

218)

You are walking on a vast rocky plain. The

weather is surprisingly mild and you are in a
jaunty mood. You begin to whistle a merry

ditty when the croak of a bird stirs you from
your jovial thoughts. Looking up, you see a
giant bird hearing down on you- its wingspan

is enough to send shivers down your spine,
but the beak of the creature is sharp and at
least as long as your forearm. You break into

a run, swerving to avoid the monstrous
creature. Roll a die. If you roll a 1, 2 or 3

then you will find where you run to by
turning to 201. If you roll a 4 or a 5, you

run for some time before reaching a river and
should continue by turning to 43. If you roll
a 6, you can continue your adventure by

turning to 60.

You walk away from the river, intent on

completing your quest. The chill wind blows
in from the north, and snow settles on your
brow. Numbed by the sudden downturn in

weather conditions, you stop to rest in a
disused mine, continuing at first light the

next morning, after the worst of the blizzard
has passed. Several hours later, the
snowstorm still blowing all around you, you

reach a junction where you may continue
north, where the worst of the storm appears
to be (turn to 102) or northeast, out of the

blizzard (turn to 141).

This place is eerily similar to the one where
you committed your crime; perhaps it is here
that you may atone for your sins. You may

confess (turn to 110) or attack this priest
also (turn to 45).

Eventually to arrive at the gate to a small
walled town. You may follow the path away

to the west, which turns north after a while
(turn to 147). Your only other option is to
enter the town, which a large plaque above

the gate proclaims to he called Arkelon. You
enter Arkelon behind a hay cart and nip
quickly between the unobservant guards.

Inside people are going in droves toward the
market square and you are pushed along
with them (turn to 17).

The dragon's eyes open wide. "Curse you,

mortal!" he says in a strained voice. "Yes,
that is the answer. And as you have bested
me, I am forced to help you in your petty

quest. Here is an amulet to protect you
against the Yeti's powerful claws." A jade
Dragon Amulet appears in your hands. "But

don't expect me to tell you how to use it! Now
I must find another road to make my own."

With a wicked laugh, the dragon flies off into
the distance. Elated at having survived such
a perilous encounter, you continue your

journey. Are you heading east (turn to 87) or
west (turn to 27)?

The going here is made harder as the wind
blows a blizzard around you. Snow settles in

your hair, down your boots and in your
clothes. You press on undaunted. Arriving at

a junction, the blizzard is beginning to blow
itself out. You decide to rest here until the
blizzard abates. After about fifteen minutes,

the last of the snowflakes settles on the
ground and you are able to take stock of
your surroundings properly for the first time.

You notice that the blizzard has been driven
by the harsh winds over to the east, where it
continues to rage unchecked. By the side of

the pathway is a pond, unfrozen and
seemingly unaffected by the weather. If this

interests you, you may choose to drink from
the pool (turn to 83) or bathe in the pool
(turn to 205). Alternatively, you may rest

here for a while (turn to 219). If you wish to
press on with your mission, you may
continue west, away from the blizzard (turn

to 69) or east into it (turn to 142).

You sip the water and grimace. It tastes
disgusting. You stand up, intent on
continuing your quest. As you rise to your

feet, you feel dizzy and disoriented. The
landscape seems to have altered, and you are
no longer sure where the path is. Confused,

you set off in a roughly north-easterly
direction. Turn to 129.

You bid farewell to the gentleman. "Come
again," he tells you. You smile at having

made a friend here in this cold realm. You
must now turn up the collar on your cloak
and continue east (turn to 221) or west

(turn to 39).

You take a sip and gag at the putrid taste.
You seem unable to get rid of the retch-
inducing, foul taste, so you are forced to

purchase another drink to wash out your
mouth. Lose one gold coin and turn to 124.

You arrive back at the inn to find it shuttered
up. It is closed for business, and will not be

opening again for some time. Return to 185
to reconsider your options,

You head east a short way until the path
turns to the north. You follow it, and rest at
the end of the day. At dawn, you continue

your mission. The path gently bends around
to the west, and eventually you find yourself

heading in a roughly north-westerly
direction. You follow this all day, resting at
dusk in a small spinney of firs.

Dawn breaks the sky, and you rise with the

sun. By mid-morning you have put fifteen
kilometres behind you. Unfortunately, soon
afterwards, a blizzard sets in, and you spend

the rest of the day in a hastily constructed
igloo. By the time the blizzard has blown
itself out, it is too late to continue, so you

trap yourself a snow hare and roast it, over a
few meagre branches and kindling,

Evening arrives, painting the sky in pastel
colours. You sit and watch the sun set. Later

that night, you see strange blue colours in
the sky, filling you with a sense of awe and
tranquillity. You wonder at the source of the

magical lights, and you say up to watch them
for some time until you fall asleep. You wake
late and continue your mission with a

renewed sense of peace. Arriving at a
junction, will you choose to travel northeast
(turn to 142) or northwest (turn to 31)?

You turn and run, but you are no match for

an airborne dragon for speed, and he flies
toward you at great speed. You are plucked
from the ground in huge talons, and taken

back to the dragon's lair; he will eat well
tonight. Unfortunately, your adventure ends
here on the Ordoker road.

As the day draws inexorably toward its close,

the path turns sharply north into a range of
low hills, the Ice Downs. You do not have too
much difficulty traversing the valleys and

peaks of these hillocks, and you camp on the
leeward side of a tall prominence, continuing
at first light. Turn to 92.

The biting wind continues to strike deep into

you, chilling you to the bone. You curse the
impetuous spirit that made you volunteer for
such a difficult task, resolving to keep your

mouth shut in future. The road widens out
here as you continue to a junction. A sign
points east to Ordoker and North to The

Farmer's Haven. Will you travel east (turn to
3) or north (turn to 112)?

You test the water, but it is certainly too cold
to enter; you would catch your death.

Return to 82 to decide your next course of
action.

The hills are low and rolling, and you are

afforded little respite from the wind, which
blows over the peaks and through the valleys
of these bleak, desolate hills. You eventually

leave the Ice Downs and stretched out ahead
of you is a vast, featureless plain of ice and
snow. The Yeti could be anywhere in this

huge wilderness. You trek through this
wasteland for the rest of the day, spending a
miserable night underneath a solitary fir

tree. Continue your mission at first light in
the morning by turning to 200.

You step inside the room and your nostrils
are immediately assailed by a nauseating

stench. Perhaps this room has been used as
a stable in the past, because it certainly has
many animal smells. You spend a freezing

night with the window open wide and leave
at first light in the morning. Gathering your

things, you go back to the reception and
return the key to the room. Bidding the
Innkeeper and Ordoker farewell, you make

your way towards the main thoroughfare
that dissects Ordoker. You follow it away
from the village and out into the surrounding

wilds.
Once more, the beauty of nature strikes you;
even in this harsh wilderness, you can see

her magical touch. The snow lends a
mystical aura to the environment, covering

the ground in a thick, white blanket. Now
you must decide whether you are heading
east (turn to 28) or west (turn to 90).

You are stumbling through the snow, your
head bowed towards the floor to avoid the

stinging wind in your eyes, when you hear a
voice. Looking up you see a man dressed in

robes beckoning to you. Turn to 101.

You walk for two days, each night resting in

small copses that the path skirts. You see no
one in your lonely sojourn, and hear not even
the twittering of a bird. All about is silent,

touched with a magic aura of emptiness. For
the first time in your life, you come to know

what it means to truly be alone. The
northern path is indeed a bleak one.
Eventually you arrive at a T-junction with an

east-west path crossing the northern one at
right angles. You may journey east (turn to
221) or west (turn to 94).

Kneeling on the cold, hard floor, you pray for

forgiveness for your rash folly. This is the
right thing to do. In the future, if you are told

to turn to a paragraph if you have killed a
priest, you may ignore the instruction, and
continue on as if you have not. You may now

search the pulpit (turn to 127) or the seats
(turn to 227). If you do not wish to, then you
settle down for the night (turn to 117).

"I have never seen the Yeti, and I don't really

know anything about it," he replies. "1 dream
of many things, of faraway places, of white-
winged ships, of other worlds, but never have

I dreamed of the Yeti. But the family at
Farmer's Haven might know about it. They
have lived here for fifty years and more, and

little passes by the old man. Ask him." With
that remark, he promptly falls back to sleep.
Turn to 15 to leave here.

Inside the inn, it is warm, and a large fire

roars in the fireplace: The reception is
sparsely decorated, and there is no one to
collect your bags for you. At the reception

sits the manager (a small man with a bad
cold) who tells you that the price of a room
varies between one and three gold coins per

night depending on how expensive the room's
decor is. You may pay 1 gold coin for room 1

(turn to 67), or 2 gold coins for room 2 (turn
to 135) or 3 gold coins for room 3 (turn to
93). You had better decide quickly as

another traveller has just entered the inn
behind you.

You leave through the rotting doors, still
wondering about who may have lived in this

abode, and why they left. After several
hundred metres the path splits, and you
must decide whether to head north (turn to

40) or west, which eventually curves round
to heading north (turn to 95).

100

You bid the priest farewell and set out into
the cold. After many minutes spent

searching, you find a place to sleep, and you
spend a miserable night in the hollow of a
blasted oak tree, unusual so far north. In the

morning, when the sun has risen in the sky,
you continue either north into a vast plain of
ice (turn to 200) or northwest, towards a

range of low hills (turn to 92).

101

"Traveller, come over here to me. I have

something for you," he intones. Upon saying
this, he reaches into his pocket, perhaps for
a dagger. You can attack him now (turn to

155), or talk to him, if you believe his actions
to be friendly (turn to 168), politely excuse
yourself (turn to 84), or you can simply

ignore him (turn to 121).

102

Through the biting winds of the blizzard, you
can just make cut a signpost. To the south is
a river, and to the southeast a forest. To the

north is Ordoker; and it is here that you
make for. Turn to 39.

103

You strike wildly at the Yeti’s leg, but it is not
the beast's weak spot. A surging paw-swipe

throws you twenty metres across the snow,
opening up deep gashes in your side. You are
too weak to defend yourself against the Yeti's

terrible onslaught. Your adventure ends
here, on the brink of success.

104

You creep down the stairs and find yourself
in a dark room, the floor of which is wooden

tiled. Unfortunately for you, the wood has
rotted through after so many years of
neglect, and after taking just a few steps you

fall through the floor into a cavern below,
carved out by a fast-flowing underground
river. You are knocked unconscious, by the

fall, and die quickly in the freezing waters.
Sadly, your adventure has ended here, so far
from your goal.

105

As most traders, this one is most interested

in the colour of your money. What you will
learn from him depends on how much you
bought from him. Did you buy one item from

him (turn to 54), two items (turn to 184) or
more than that (turn to 173)?

106

"I know little of the beast, I am sorry to say,"
he says. "There have been rumours that it

has a weakness, but I dismiss these as lies
told by old women; how can such a ferocious
beast have a weakness? I have heard,

though, that it is susceptible to magic." Have
you met a dragon? If so, turn to 16 now. If
you are carrying a charm, then show it to the

priest by turning to 111. If you have no
charm, or you do not wish to show the priest,

he bids you goodnight and leaves you. You
settle down to sleep, waking in the morning

to the strange light-illusions cast by the sun
shining through the stained-glass windows.
You leave in the morning, heading

westwards. This path soon turns to the
north. Turn to 92.

107

"The beast has but one weakness," wheezes
the farmer. "It has an exposed artery in its

inner thigh. I have heard rumours that a
tribesman went searching for the beast
recently; and he knew the same information

as you do. Perhaps he exploited the
weakness, but his weapon may have been of

lower quality than yours. He obviously did
not succeed. Strike its inner thigh, and the
beast should collapse, hardly able to move."

When you reach the Yeti, you will be asked if
you know its weakness. Turn to 5 to use the

information you have just gleaned from this
wise farmer. Do not turn to 5 now, as you
have not met the Yeti. Continue by turning

to 136.

108

You cast the ‘Snowstorm’ spell and a massive
blizzard appears around you and the beast,
forcing you to your knees in the freezing

cold. After several minutes, the spell fails,
and you are able once more to stand and see.
Of the Yeti, there is no sign, and the spell

had obliterated any tracks it might have left
in its flight. Unfortunately, you have failed in

your mission to rid the world of the foul Yeti,
but at least you have escaped with your life.

109

You take a sip and fall instantly into a deep
sleep from which you do not awaken. You
dream greatly whilst in your sleep, and the

dreams you experience are vivid and true.
Unfortunately, you cannot awaken from

them, and after several days die of exposure
and starvation. Sadly, your mission ends
here.

110

You confess your sin to the priest. He looks
sternly at you, and tells you to give all of

your gold and weapons to the church.
Reluctantly you do this. He tells you that

your penance is to defeat the Yeti. If you do
this, you must forsake the world and give
yourself to the church for the rest of your

life. Dejectedly you leave. Turn to 100.

111

The priest examines the charm and tells you
that it is a spell holder. If you speak aloud

the number on the reverse side of it, the Yeti
will be frozen in time for a few, brief seconds.

He laments at the weakness of the spell laid
upon the charm, but tells you that it is very
old, and was probably designed to allow

tribesmen escape from attacks by bears and
other wild animals. (You will be told how and
when to use it when you meet the Yeti.)
Return to 106.

112

After almost a kilometre, the path turns

sharply to the right and heads east for a
short way. The cold winds prevent you from
falling asleep on your feet, although you have

fallen into a state of catatonia induced by the
bleak scenery and the numbing effects of the
cold. Once more, the path turns and you are

heading northwards once more. You get to
wonder just how much longer your quest will
take to reach its conclusion, feeling that you

cannot cope with the climate for much
longer. You yearn for sunlight and warmth,

things alien to this vast realm of ice and
snow. The path forks ahead of you. Will you
follow it northwards (turn to 69) or

northeast (turn to 31)?

113

Carefully you cross the oaken timbers and

leave the river behind. A signpost ahead of
you tells you that to the north is Teckleton

Tor. To visit here, turn to 182. To the west,
according to the si8n, is an inn, where you
may (or may not) receive succour by turning

to 216.

114

You tell the priest of your mission to rid the

world of the fearsome Yeti. He frowns,
thinking deeply. "There are a number of

possibilities to consider in trying to rid the
world of this beast. Perhaps it has a
weakness. I don't know it; nor do I know who

might. There is a dragon that lives around
these parts, they are said to be the guardians
of all knowledge, although it is mischievous,

and delights in evil trickery. If you should
meet it, it will ask you a riddle. I believe the
answer to be ‘fog’." You thank him and, with

a cheerful smile, he bids you farewell and
leaves the church. You may search another

area of the church (turn to 194). Otherwise,
you settle down to sleep in the nave, and
leave in the morning. Turn to 193.

115

You walk northward through the gloomy
forest, the snow crunching loudly underfoot.

High above, crows and other carrion birds
croak and caw their evil, eerie calls,

prompting you to move faster through this
wild wood. Brambles slow you down, forcing
you to detour, but you press on, eager to be

out of the oppressive, dark wood. You come
to a converging of ways. Looking both east
and north, you notice that both paths are

equally depressing, and neither seems to be
a definite way through. You can walk the
eastern path (turn to 72) or take the

northern route (turn to 4).

116

You turn and try to run, hoping against hope
that you can somehow confuse this creature
of the snows. The Yeti comes lumbering after

you on its powerful hind legs, forcing you to
swerve to the left and right to try to confuse
it, but the beast is too fast. With one swipe of

its paw, it ends your futile escape by
hamstringing you. You land facedown in the

snow, writhing in agony. Unable to defend
yourself, the beast's next attack ends you
life. Sadly, your adventure ends here, on the

brink of success.

117

You hear the doors creak open and someone

enters. You crouch in the shadows and wait.
You can see from your hiding place that a

priest has just walked in; he is making his
way down the aisle. Suddenly he catches
sight of you and lets out an anguished cry.

You stand, unsure of what to do. "What do
you want?" he asks bravely. Will you attack
him (turn to 45) or assure him of your good

intentions and ask him about the Yeti (turn
to 106)?

118

You hear the doors close; someone has just
entered! You jump lithely into the shadows to
observe the newcomer. The young man who

enters is not what you had expected. He
wears a coarse brown robe, tied at the waist
with a piece of string. He is muttering

something to himself when you trip, giving
yourself away. The man cries out in alarm.
You calm the young man down, although he

still regards you with suspicion. You try to
convince him that you mean him no harm,

but he says very little. Will you attack him
for his insolence (turn to 158) or try again to
get the conversation going (turn to 192)?

119

You wrench your yes away from the prostate
figure of the priest and, ignoring your guilt,

turn your attention elsewhere. You may
continue your search (turn to 194) or give in

to your exhaustion and settle down to sleep
in the nave, hidden from the scene of your
crime, leaving in the morning (turn to 193).

120

After a brief trek west, the pathway turns
sharply to the south. A11 around, the trees

seem to be pressing in, trying desperately to
squeeze all the optimism that you had when

you began your quest from you. You are
anxious to be away from here. Returning to
the junction, you head north. Turn to 229.

121

You put your head down and continue
walking. He calls to you twice more, but soon

loses interest and leaves you alone. Assured
of your safety, at least for the moment, you

continue travelling east (turn to 221) or west
(turn to 39).

122

You travel south for a day, climbing up to a
frozen plateau in the mid-morning, until just
before dusk you reach a ravine. The path

continues on the far side of the ravine, but
two ice bridges are the only means of

crossing the gaping chasm. You may cross
the right one (turn to 145) or the left one
(turn to 140) if you wish. Alternatively, you

may sleep here and continue north tomorrow
(turn to 58).

123

You hand over the money and purchase the
Egg. The farmer grins toothlessly and tells
you to follow him into a back room; he has

something to tell you. Turn to 107.

124

You are unable to concentrate, and your
head feels as though it is being crushed. You
pass out into a deep, dreamless sleep. When

next you wake, you are far from the inn.
Your pack is empty, and all your gold has
been taken: Nearby is an old mansion.

Standing, you get your bearings, wincing at
the sharp pain shooting through your head.
You decide that it would be best for you to

enter the manor and explore. Turn to 183.

125

Around midday, you bring a halt to your
northward trek and rest to eat your

provisions beneath the spreading branches
of an ancient yew. Your meal of cold meat

and cheese is meagre, but satisfying, and
after about a half hour you return to the
path and continue your journey. Soon

afterwards, you arrive at a crossroads. The
path forks and you can head northwest (turn
to 80) or northeast (turn to 202).

126

You head northeast through the mountains

for a whole day. You are forced to walk
narrow gullies where predators might wait in
ambush for you, and on occasion, you even

have to put your climbing skills to good use,
climbing rock faces, or just clambering over
piles of boulders. Often the narrow,

indistinct track will disappear completely,
only for you to rediscover it several hundred
metres further on. Eventually you come to a

pass through the heart of the range, carved
by the action of a long-dried-up river. You

may follow the trail northwards, out of the
peaks (turn to 56) or southwards, into the
heart of the fells (turn to 122).

127

The leather-bound book seems to be written
in a foreign language, and you soon grow

weary of it. The lectern is of a high quality;
the workmanship of it is exquisite. Aside

from these things, there is nothing else in the
pulpit. Turn to 117.

128

You set off at dawn, bidding farewell to the
traders in the camp, and reach the north-
man settlement by mid-morning. The bodies

of the traders and any tracks the Yeti may
have left, are covered under deep drifts of

freshly fallen snow. As you leave, after first
paying your respects to those who fell in the
battle, snow begins to fall from the leaden

sky with renewed vigour. You make ready to
follow the beast, guessing that a vaguely
northerly route is the most probable

direction of the Yeti's lair.

The landscape is covered in thick, white

drifts of snow, making it hard to make out
any particular landmarks. The trail you are

on is marked by a hump of stone chippings,
set with clay, making it less likely for you to
stray off into the uncharted wilds. It is about

midday that you arrive at a meeting of ways.
A roadway, reasonably clear of snow, leads
from the southeast to the northwest, while

another, less used track leads away
northeast, making for what seems to be a

range of foothills in the distance. Will you
take the cleared route (turn to 161) or head
toward the mountains (turn to 134)?

129

You head away from the setting sun at a

brisk pace. Soon it is dusk, and as twilight is
turning into darkness, you alight upon a
building of some kind. In the dim light, you

can ascertain that it is a chapel of some
kind, built of locally quarried granite. The
large wooden doors are closed, but, upon

testing, appear to be unlocked. You may
open the doors and enter the church if you

wish (turn to 14). Otherwise, you sleep in
the doorway, which provides some respite
from the cold night. When morning's murky

light wakes you from your dreams, you get
up and follow the path back from whence
you came. After some time, there is a path

heading north into a range of downs. It is
these hills that you head for. Turn to 92.

130

You are not obliged to pray, so don't. You are
now free to explore the seats (turn to 227) or

the pulpit (turn to 127).

131

Up ahead you can see a residence. Unusually

for this dreary wilderness, the woodwork is
freshly painted in a bright yellow, reminding

you of sunflowers. The door is similarly
painted, and a large `Welcome' mat, freshly
swept of the recently fallen snow, sits

proudly in front of it. A sign attached to the
eaves of the house, swinging in the gentle
breeze, proclaims `Bed and Breakfast -

Knock for Service'. This is certainly the most
homely house you have seen in many days,
and you are reminded that, far to the south,

this time of year is filled with happy festivals
celebrating the rebirth of spring, and you

begin to feel rather lonely. You may knock on
the door (turn to 70) or head off east (turn
to 21).

132

You strike the creature, landing a good blow
on the chest, but the creature does not roar

in agony; instead, it screams in rage. In a
manic fury, it slashes you with its claws,

knocking you backwards. Reeling from the
blow, and dizzy with pain, you cannot put up
much of a defence against the maddened

creature. It ends your life in one single,
violent slash across your chest. Sadly, your

adventure ends here, on the very brink of
success.

133

After several sips of the ale, you are giggling

to yourself. By the time you are about
halfway through the pint, you are laughing
aloud at the most mundane of things going

on in the bar. You are not used to such an
alcoholic beverage; and it has an unusual
effect on you. Turn to 124.

134

The path twists and turns through the vales

of the foothills, and you are forced to make
camp on the sheltered side of a knoll.
Twisted and bent trees cling precariously to

the leeward sides of the hills. You welcome
these small copses as they give respite from
the chill winds. Here and there, dotted about,

are lightning-blasted trees, reminding you of
the power of the natural world. Sometime the
next day you enter the mountains proper,

and you follow a well-worn goat track up into
the inhospitable crags. Turn to 126.

135

The room is pleasantly adorned in
cornflower, and a simple dresser stands

against one wall. The small window affords a
view of the congenial village, clinging
precariously to life in these forgotten lands.

The bed is small but comfortable, and you
settle down almost immediately to a good

nights rest. Turn to 63.

136

You climb the creaking stairs to your

assigned room. Inside it is well appointed
and warmly furnished, with a thick carpet
covering the wooden floor, and a log fire

burns in the hearth. You disrobe and climb
into the warm, cosy bed and drift into a

relaxing sleep. When you awake, you dress
and gather your things, eager to be on your
wav once more. Turn to 187.

137

You strike wildly at the beast's arm, but it is
protested from such ineffective blows by a

thick matting of fur; this is not the weak spot
you had thought it to he. Pressing home its

advantage, the Yeti swipes its claws across
your eyes, blinding you. The Yeti has little
trouble in finishing you off. Sadly, your

adventure ends here, on the very brink of
success.

138

You roughly shake the man and; after
several moments, he comes to. "What do you

want?" he grumbles. "I was having such a
wonderful dream. I don't need some idiot

pestering me by waking me up." This is not
the response you would have expected in this
situation. Will you talk politely to him (turn

to 97)? Or attack him for his rudeness (turn
to 53)?

139

The barman leans conspiratorially over the
bar to you. Looking around furtively he says,

"Return to the crossroads and head north.
Somewhere around there is a dragon. I bet
such a fabled creature as that will know

something of the Yeti that'll help you in your
mission." Something in his foetid breath
causes you to pull away, although the leering

barman seems not to take offence. He winks
at you and returns to wiping the glasses with
a filthy brown rag. "Tell you what," he calls

over to you. "This one's on the house as well,
mate " You may choose whether to have

another drink (turn to 6). Or if you would
like, the barman can give you directions to
Arkelon (turn to 80). Otherwise, you may

pay the fee of 3 Gold Coins and go up to your
room (turn to 151).

140

The ice creaks below you, but bears your
weight. You slowly edge your way across, the

absence of a rail being unsettling, and
breathe a sigh of relief as you reach the far
side. With a final look down, you continue

following the path, this time away from the
crevasse. Turn to 223.

141

You walk into the oncoming wind, bent over
to help yourself make headway against it.

After several kilometres, the path you are
following joins another below the eaves of a
long-dead oak tree, its branches seemingly

reaching up to the sky in a last, hopeless
gesture. You follow the path westwards for
some time, and it begins to snow quite

heavily despite the wind. To continue your
mission, turn to 102.

142

The wind rises, blowing the flurries of
snowflakes into a blizzard around you, biting

mercilessly into your exposed face and
hands. Your visibility drops down to almost
nothing, and you make little headway.

Eventually, after what seems like a freezing
eternity of whiteness, you seem to have

paced through the worst of it when you
arrive at a diverging of ways. To the north,

the blizzard seems to abate even more, but
the west would seem to take you back into
the heart of the storm. Will you take the way

into the blizzard (turn to 82) or away from it
(turn to 10)?

143

You close the heavy oaken doors behind you
and try to sleep in the inhospitable, freezing

weather outside. Unfortunately you find no
shelter and you are about to return to the
chapel when the weather takes a turn for the

worse, and a storm whips up the like of
which you have never seen. In the freezing

conditions, you lose your way from the path,
and cannot find your way back. You finally
lose all hope and lie on the frozen floor,

waiting for the inevitable. Soon afterwards,
you die of exposure. Sadly, your adventure
ends here in this bleak, trackless terrain.

144

The barman knows little save for the most

basic local geography. The major road is a
wide East-West trade route to the north,
upon which is situated the most northerly

village in hundreds of miles, Ordoker, though
before that road is a wood, supposedly
haunted by long-dead trappers. The barman

offers to put you up for the night free of
charge because, as he puts it, "We don't get
many strangers in these parts.” You

gratefully accept. Turn to 151.

145

The ice bridge creaks under your weight as
you step onto it. After a few moments, you
muster up enough courage to take another

step. Looking down, you begin to feel dizzy as
you glimpse the floor of the crevasse over one
hundred metres below. You take another

step, and the bridge cracks.

You stand completely still, not daring to
move. Slowly, ever so slowly, you inch
backwards, cold sweat forming on your brow.

A harsh howl pierces the still air, carried by
the lazy winds. A pack of snow wolves,
vicious hunters, has caught your scent.

Their white fur makes them almost invisible
to the naked eye, and you do not relish
getting into combat with a pack of

bloodthirsty hounds. You decide to make a
break for it.

Your pulse racing, your heart in your mouth,
you take a leap. But in your hurry, you

misjudged the distance. You miss your

footing and plummet down to the bottom of
the ravine. That night, the snow wolves feast

upon fresh meat for the first time in weeks.
Sadly, your mission ends here, in the
mountains.

146

You head southwest, past the bridge,

continuing your journey until nightfall. The
sky is unusually clear, and you spend a
night under the stars, sheltered from the

elements in a trapper's lodge by the roadside.
You awake, gather your belongings and
follow the pathway. Soon after setting off,

you reach a stone bridge spanning the dark,
foaming waters. Realising that you do not

want to head too far south as this is taking
you away from your goal, you decide to cross
the river here, heading northeast. Turn to

149.

147

The track here appears to have degenerated

into an animal trail, and you are forced to
guess your direction, trudging through drifts

reaching your knees. The going is tough, and
you make slow progress across the
undulating landscape. Finally, you reach a

cleared road. A signpost proclaims that to
the east is Teckleton Tor, whereas to the
north is an Inn. Would you rather visit

Teckleton (turn to 24) or the Inn (turn to
203)?

148

You begun to feel guilty as you realise that
your act may not have gone unnoticed by the

deity the priest served. You may recant of
your actions in prayer (turn to 96) or shake
off these pathetic feelings (turn to 130).

149

Heading away from the bridge, you soon

reach an Inn, once gaudily painted, but now
in need of extensive renovation. A once-
jaunty sign proclaims the place to be called

"The Southern Inn." Smoke rises lazily from a
chimney, promising warmth by a fire. But
you are also aware that the local woodsmen

and trappers are a rough breed, given to
heavy drinking and brawling. Leading away
from here are two pathways, one heading

west and one heading northwest. If you
desire, you may enter the Inn by turning to

152. The only other course of action is to
leave westwards (turn to 185) or in a north-
westerly direction (turn to 216).

150

You follow the torrent upstream until you
arrive at its source, where three fast-flowing

streams converge. After crossing an old stone
bridge spanning one of these streams, you

head north for the rest of the day, stopping
to rest when it becomes too dark for you to
see. In the morning, after you have feasted

on a meal of careless pheasant, you continue
northwards.

Soon you can just make out what appears to
be trees on the horizon, and, as you draw
nearer, to realise that you are heading

towards the eaves of a dark, silent forest. The
path leads you straight between two ancient,

tall pine trees and into the heart of the
forest. The light is muted here, below the
canopy, high above. It is eerily quiet, as if

nothing lives here; perhaps something has
scared all the creatures away. The oppressive
atmosphere begins to weigh heavily upon

you. The wind begins to rise, taking your
mind off such morbid things. Turn to 72.

151

You securely bolt the door of the room
behind you; you cannot be too careful in

these parts. The room is small and sparsely
furnished, typical of the attitude of the locals
towards what they might consider opulence,

but it is clean and cosy. Blankets have been
folded and placed at the end of the bed, and
you go about getting ready to retire for the

night. The coal fire in the grate has burned
down low and you climb between the

blankets, and you drift into a peaceful night's
repose.

When the morning comes, far too quickly,
you rise and return to the Common's Room.
After eating a meagre breakfast prepared half

heartedly by the Innkeeper's wife, and leave.
Returning the short way to the junction, you
head north. Turn to 29.

152

You push open the door and enter an

antechamber with a flight of stairs leading
upwards and a door directly opposite.
Behind you, the main door, operated by a

powerful spring, closes. Going on through
the door opposite, you enter the Common's
Room, where all and sundry come to relax

after a hard day’s work. Dubious characters
look up from their drinks as you enter, and

you hear some furious muttering.

The log fire burns merrily in the hearth and,

crossing over to it, you warm yourself by its

flames. You are soon warm. Making your way
through the smoky air, you find the barkeep,

a rotund man, polishing glasses at the bar.
He enquires as to whether you would like a
drink, and, to be friendly, you reply the

affirmative. He moves over to the large
pumps and enquires whether you would like

to try Dragon Ale (turn to 160) or Scimitar
(turn to 85).

153

You walk through the narrow streets and
find your way to the market, composed of
seven dowdy stalls of mediocre quality

merchandise. Out of all the things on sale,
only the following catch your attention:

WATER BOTTLE

2GP

GOLDEN DAGGER

SILVER ARROW

8GP

BLACKSMITH'S HAMMER 4

STONE EFFIGY

2GP

SWORD

20GP

You may buy any or all of the above if you

have sufficient funds to do so. When you
have finished browsing, you take your leave

of the market, departing via the narrow,
winding side streets of the village. You decide
that now would be a good time to leave

Ordoker and continue your quest.

When you find yourself back at the main

thoroughfare that dissects Ordoker, you
follow it away from the village and out into
the wilds surrounding. Once more, the

beauty of nature strikes you; even in this
harsh wilderness, you can see her magical

touch. The snow lends a mystical aura to the
environment, covering the ground in a thick,
white blanket. Now you must decide whether

you are heading east (turn to 28) or west
(turn to 90).

154

Thanking the man for his help, you depart
from the hostelry and, avoiding the market,

make your way towards the main
thoroughfare that dissects 0rdoker. You
follow it away from the village and out into

the surrounding wilds. Once more, the
beauty of nature strikes you; even in thus
harsh wilderness, you can see her magical

touch. The snow lends a mystical aura to the
environment, covering the ground in a thick,
white blanket. Now you must decide whether

you are heading east (turn to 28) or west
(turn to 90).

155

Quick as a fox you unsheathe your weapon
and strike at the man, but as your weapon

connects, he disappears, and your blow
strikes at nothing. Instinctively you turn

round in time to see the man gazing at you;
but he is no longer smiling. He speaks a
word in an arcane tongue and you are turned

to stone. Sadly, your rash actions have
caused this to be the end of your mission.

156

You follow the eaves of the great, green,
silent wood westwards until deciduous trees

become more prevalent, the pines and firs
now being dotted among them. After some
time you arrive at a small path leading into

the dense forest where an old oak has
collapsed, The snow is beginning to fall
afresh, so you decide to take shelter beneath

the huge, spreading, leafless arms of the oak
trees. Turn to 186 to follow the track
northwards.

157

You walk down the central aisle between the

seats. You rummage around in the seats,
although you only turn up a Small Locket
overlaid with silver filigree in the shape of a

bouquet of flowers surrounded by oak leaves,
the detail of which is exquisite. You pocket
this. The hard seats and meagre furnishings

are a pointed reminder of how poor the
people in this area are. Walking towards the

back of the church, you climb the semi-spiral
steps - of which you count six - up onto the
pulpit, which presides over the room. You are

marvelling at the smooth finish of the
wooden lectern when you hear the creak of
the doors opening . . . Turn to 118.

158

You draw your weapon and run at the young

man, He has no chance to defend himself
and falls to the ground, dead. His dark red
blood forms a pool and begins running in

rivulets along the cracks in the flagstones
beneath your feet. You search his belongings
and discover that he was merely an unarmed

acolyte come to replace the candles.
Saddened and guilt-ridden by your actions,
you may decide to pray here for forgiveness if

you want (turn to 75). Otherwise, you may
continue your search of the chapel (turn to

194) or retire to the nave, leaving the scene
of your crime, where you may sleep in
relative comfort. In the morning, you rise

with the sun, anxious to be away from here
(turn to 193).

159

The track you are following eventually peters
out so that you are left floundering in waist-

deep snow. Unable to continue, you attempt
to retrace your steps, only to discover that a

recent flurry of snow, coupled with the
strong winds, have covered your tracks. You
decide that your only option is to make your

way ahead in the direction you were heading.
Pushing against the drift, your progress is
very slow. However, after about one hundred

metres, the snow becomes markedly less
deep, and you emerge from what was a dip in
the ground, possibly the site of an ancient

pool. Soon, the snow is merely crunching
underfoot, and the wind has slowed to a

gentle breeze. Turn to 77.

160

The barman returns from the barrel with a

tankard of Dragon Ale. You sip the bitter
brew and take stock of your surroundings.
Behind you, a group of men are gambling,

their rowdiness and catcalls providing the
aural backdrop to the inn. No one is coming

up to the bar; they all seem to be nursing
their drinks. The ale is certainly refreshing,
and you take this opportunity to rest after

your gruelling journey thus far. You notice
that the barman is staring at you. You could
engage him in conversation if you wish (turn

to 2). There is also the gambling table, which
you may visit if you would like to increase
your funds (turn to 62). You may also leave

by turning to 11.

161

You follow the winding path for the rest of
the day. After resting for an uncomfortable
night in a hunter's lodge, you continue at

first light. Around mid-morning you reach a
deep, fast-flowing river. A crude wooden
bridge spans the murky, uninviting waters. It

is of rough quality, being very low to the
river, and the waters constantly buffet it. You

may cross the river here (turn to 113) or
follow the river northeast, hopefully towards
the source of the river (turn to 36) or

downstream to the southwest (turn to 146)
in search of a safer crossing.

162

You step gingerly on to the wooden frame
and make your way carefully to the other

side, super-aware of every vibration caused
by the foam-flecked waters of the river.
Stepping off the bridge, you breathe a sigh of

relief and rest for several minutes, waiting for
your pulse to return to normal. You head
northeast from here. Turn to 165.

163

The path coils around and comes to an

abrupt end at a pool of water, secluded from
view by an unusual ring of bushes that grow

all around the perimeter of the pool. A bench
has been constructed from pinewood and sits
alone, gazing out over the pool. A small isle is

in the centre of the mere, where you can
make out what seems to be the nest of a
large bird. If you would like, you may swim

out to it (turn to 38) or sit on the bench
(turn to 25).

164

You make your way to the street where the
hostelry is situated after inquiring of a guard
regarding its whereabouts. The name of the

hostelry is The Traveller's Respite Inn and,
after observing the well-appointed exterior of
the building you seriously consider staying

here tonight. You push open the red-painted
door and enter a well-kept and tidy reception

area. To your right, a brass plaque upon a
door proclaims the room behind it to be ‘The
Commons Room’. A bell sits on the reception

desk, a sign by which reads ‘Ring For
Service’. You ring it, and after a few
moments, a receptionist dressed in a well-

worn suit appears. You may enquire of him
about the Yeti (turn to 174) or ask about a
room for the night (turn to 49). If you would

like to leave now, return to the centre of
town. Return to 17.

165

You follow the path until it merges with
another. It begins to twist and coil until you

are heading in a roughly northwest direction.
Up ahead you see something glinting in the
muted sunlight. Warily you walk towards it,

careful of any hunting traps, which may be
set to capture wild animals for their pelts.

These pelts sold for huge prices and are in
great demand for their quality. Fortunately,
there are no traps and you come upon the

shiny item, which is a Highly Polished
Sword. You inspect the weapon and
ascertain that it is of very high quality, made

by a master smith. Stowing the weapon
safely in your scabbard you continue
onwards, wondering about who might have

lost such a magnificent weapon. Turn to
182.

166

After walking for roughly three-quarters of an
hour, you arrive at the end of the path,

which terminates in an inn. A creaking sign
attached to the front of the inn by a metal

bracket, swinging lazily in the wind,
proclaims this place to be “The Snowy Owl”.

It is a little run-down, although you might
find food and shelter here. The chimney has
black smoke pouring from it, promising

warmth at least. You may enter by turning
to 7, or leave the path and sleep rough,

returning to the crossroads and heading
onwards in the morning by turning to 29.

167

You may have found some of the following
items during the course of your adventure.
Of course, you may only use an item that

you have definitely found and written down.
What will your approach be?

A Magic Spell –

To use Scroll #l, turn to 191.
To use Scroll #2, turn to 211.
To use Scroll #3, turn to 207.

To use Scroll #4, turn to 108.

A Weapon –

To use the Axe, turn to 50.

To use the Sword, turn to 9.
To use the Polished Sword, turn to 179.
To use the Blacksmith's Hammer, turn

to 190.

To use the Silver Arrow, turn to 13.
To use the Throwing Dagger, turn to

51.

To use the Golden Dagger, turn to 225.

Otherwise, you may use the Dragon

Talisman by turning to 44, or the Lead

Charm by turning to 171.

If you have none of these items, you had

better pray for help (turn to 48).

168

Pulling out a red-spotted handkerchief, he

blows his nose loudly. "These cold places will
be the death of me," he mutters to himself,

before turning his attention back to you.
"What do you want?" he asks. You remind
him that he called you over. "Did I?" he asks.

"Well, I suppose I'd better tell you something,
then." You stifle a smile: you do not want to
offend this old man. "I must travel south

now," he says, "but first I must tell you this:
A stay in the second room in the Ordoker Inn
will be profitable to you." Then he shakes

your hand and shambles off in a vaguely
southerly direction. Shaking your head and
smiling to yourself, you continue east (turn

to 221) or west (turn to 39).

169

You take a swig of the ale, and are pleasantly

surprised at the refreshing taste. It is one of
the best drinks you have ever quaffed, and
you finish it quickly, savouring the taste.

When you have finished your drink, will you
engage the barman in a conversation about
the Yeti (turn to 139)? If not, you decide to

pay the three gold coins and retire to your
room (turn to 151).

170

You leave the bridge behind and follow the
river. The cool climate becomes even colder,

and snow starts to fall sporadically from the
leaden sky. Up ahead, you can see another
bridge spanning the river. It is a hump-

backed bridge made of stone, and looks very
sturdy and safe. Cross this, if you wish, by
turning to 57. Otherwise, you continue to

follow the track northeast, which bends away
from the riverside. The snow begins to fall

faster and you turn up your collar (turn to
56).

171

You pull the charm from your pack and
attempt to use it. The Yeti roars angrily and
approaches you, forcing you to back off as

you attempt to use the charm. If you know
how to use it, you may do so now. If not,

then you had better turn and run (turn to
116).

172

You poke around in the charred, fire-
blackened cupboards and rifle through the
rotting drawers, but find nothing of any

value. It seems this place has been looted
already. The loneliness of the once-grand

edifice, now reduced to a blackened wreck
saddens you, reminding you that nothing
lasts forever; reminding you of your own

mortality. You decide to leave before your
thoughts become any more maudlin and self
pitying. Turn to 216.

173

The Trader hands you your purchases over

the counter and thanks you for your
business. Just as you are about to leave, he
calls you over. "Hey," he says, “I bet you’re

the best customer I’ve had all day. Here,
have this. He pulls an Oak Bow from
beneath a table. "'Course, you'll be needing

something to fire from it. You might want to
try the Blacksmith in town." He winks at you
and sits back in his chair, waiting for more

custom. You thank him and leave. Outside,
you critically examine the quality of your

purchases as you make your way back to the
centre of town. Return there by returning to
17.

174

As you mention the Yeti, the man's eyes

become wide and he gapes at you. "Surely
not in my lifetime!" he splutters. "I'd best
prepare myself." With that, he walks off,

muttering to himself about weapons and
barricades. After several minutes, he still has
not returned. Dejectedly, you leave. Return

to 17.

175

The beast freezes in time. Quickly you decide
your best plan of action. Wil1 it be another
item (turn to 167)? Or will you use this

breathing space to try to exploit the beast's
weakness (turn to 210)? Or will you escape
(turn to 188)? Be quick: the magic in the

charm will only last a few more seconds!

176

You push your way through the rotting
timbers and enter the rubble-strewn dump.
Ashes and blackened stones tell you that

there was a great fire here, once, although
some of the furniture is miraculously intact
despite the years. You may search here if you

wish (turn to 172) or continue your mission
(turn to 216).

177

You arrive at the inn to find it closed, its
doors firmly locked. Sighing, you miserably

return along the tree-lined path, arriving
back at the junction about an hour after you
left it. Return to 216 to decide where to go

now.

178

"Hello, Sir," says the greasy barman, "what
can I get for you?" You notice that there are
three ales on tap here. You comment on the

choice, and he grins widely. “This is the best
inn for a hundred miles,” he boasts. You
compliment him on his bar keeping skills,

and he is genuinely flattered. "Thanks,
mate," he says. "Tell yer what, the first one's

on the house!” Will you take this opportunity
to savour Dragon Ale (turn to 169), Scimitar
(turn to 133) or Assassin's Wire (turn to

73)? Or will you politely decline the offer,
asking about the area around here (turn to
144)?

179

You go to pull out the Polished Sword when
you realise that you no longer have it: your

scabbard is empty. Thinking back, you
realise that you must have left it at the camp

last night! Quickly return to 167 to decide
what to do now.

180

The snowy becomes ever deeper as you walk
this northerly path, making it increasingly
difficult to continue forwards, the northerly

wind uncomfortably striking you in the face.
Looking ahead, your eyes watering in the

cold, you see that you are entering a range of
low hills. The trail snakes between the lonely
peaks, and your path meets another, forming

a Y junction in a secluded valley. The trail
heads away from here to the north, so you
follow it up the side of a hill. Atop the hill,

where the chill wind is at its coldest, you
espy that ahead, balanced precariously upon
the highest hilltop, is a small chapel. You

eventually reach the chapel, and a brass
plaque screwed to the front of the huge,

wooden front doors reads "Teckleton Tor."
Many paths lead off from here, all in various
southerly directions. You may enter this

place of worship (turn to 37). Otherwise, you
head off following the northern path (turn to
195).

181

You head north for the rest of the day. As

night falls, you alight upon a small cottage.
Smoke billows from the chimney, making
known to you that it is inhabited. You knock

on the front door, and are greeted by a
plump woman with red cheeks. You are
ushered unto the kitchen where a farmer

warmly welcomes you to his house. After a
warm meal, and a hot drink, the farmer tells
you that up ahead the road turns towards

Teckleton Tor. You sleep in a warm spare
room and wake feeling refreshed.

In the morning, the farmer offers to give a
ride on his wagon to the Tor, and you readily

accept. Bidding farewell to the farmer's wife,
you set off. You make good time, and arrive
shortly before noon at Teckleton Tor. You

thank the farmer for his hospitality and bid
good day to him. He rides off, leaving you
alone, atop a bleak, windswept hill. The

chapel is old, but well kept. You may enter if
you wish (turn to 37) or leave northwards

(turn to 195).

182

The weather stays uncharacteristically mild,
allowing you to make good progress. High

above, crows and ravens call out their
chilling cries, unnerving you. Beneath your

feet, the grasses and lichen indigenous to
this frozen realm are beginning to come out
in full force, reminding you that spring is in

the air. Many miles to the south, in your
home town, preparations are no doubt
underway for the annual spring fete, where

produce will be sold, and wine will be drunk;
and all will become nothing but merry for a
whole week. Feeling suddenly homesick, you

turn your eyes to the ground and press on.
Soon you arrive at a converging of ways

where you may head north (turn to 181) or
northeast (turn to 163).

183

The rooms downstairs are all empty, save for
the odd piece of decaying furniture. All is
covered in dirt and grime. After scrabbling

about for several minutes, you discover a
trap door, half covered by the detritus of

years of neglect. This must lead down unto
the cellar. You can go down to the cellar if
you would like (turn to 104). If not, there is

nothing else here for you, so you leave. Turn
to 99.

184

The trader hands you your purchases owner
the counter and thanks you for your

business. Just as you are about to leave, he
calls you over. "Hey," he says, "I bet you're
the best customer I've had all week. Here,

have this." He pulls an Oak Bow from
beneath a table. He winks at you and sits
back in his chair, waiting for more

customers. You thank him and leave.
Outside, you critically examine the quality of
your purchases as you make your way back

to the centre of town. Return there by
returning to 17.

185

You leave the inn behind and soon arrive at a
junction. Above, the leaden sky oppressively

continues its mental assault upon you. It
seems almost as though it is trying
desperately to drain you of your optimism

and energy. Sighing moodily, you choose a
path and stride down it, anxious to be away

from here. Will you head south (turn to 60)
or north (turn to 12) or are you returning to
the inn (turn to 86)?

186

The dark forest seems to close in on you from
all sides, encroaching aggressively on the

path, seemingly trying to erase all of man's
efforts to tame these wilds. The sunlight only

penetrates here and there, leaving you
walking in the murky half light beneath the
trees. Sometimes you pass hardy oaks or

beeches, reminding you of the warmer,
temperate lands of your birth. Mostly,
though, hardier firs and pines, more used to

these cold lands, surround you.

Ahead you notice the path becoming more

distinct, and it seems lighter. After about half
a mile you arrive at the edge of the forest,

blinking in the pale sunlight. The eaves of
the forest offer some shelter from the cold
winds, but you realise that you must press

on with your mission. The bitter breeze once
again bite into you as you trek northwards
away from the eerie woodland. Turn to 141.

187

You bid farewell to the farmer, thanking him

for his hospitality. Closing the door, you set
off once again, sorry to be away from the
warm fire. Fresh snowfall overnight has

covered your tracks, so you have to rely
completely on the farmer's directions. Turn
to 22.

188

After a day's journey, you stop and camp,

spending a miserable, cold night in the snow.
You awake still weary, and make poor
progress the next day. The weather is

reasonably mild; although there are several
brief flurries of snow each day, and the
landscape is drear, with not so much as a

tree to break the bleak vista.

It takes you seven days to reach the end of

the road, which terminates in a major city,
where you spend a further two weeks being

cared for by those in the medical profession,
suffering as you are from exposure. You are
advised to forsake your quest and return to

the warmer climes of the south, and you are
forced to concede that the Yeti could he
anywhere by now. Packing your bags, you

take the wide Great South Road away from
this arctic tundra. Sadly, you have failed in
your quest, but at least you have escaped

with your life.

189

"SESQUIPA LANTIA MERCORADIA," you
recite perfectly, just as the priest taught you.
The beast looks mournfully at you, and you

think you can detect a glint of intelligence in
its eyes. It lets out a pained roar before

turning into stone. As a gory reminder of this
ancient evil, the Yeti, in its final pose, is
letting out a blood-curdling scream. Turn to

230.

190

Swinging the hammer wildly, you manage to
make contact with the beast square in its
chest. The Yeti roars out in pain, flailing

wildly with its paws. A lucky strike causes
you to lose hold of the hammer, and you are
forced to drop it onto the carpet of thick,

white snow beneath your feet. The enraged
Yeti roars again and swings at you. Your only

hope is to run. Turn to 116.

191

You read the words of the scroll, and fake

gold and treasure appears in your hands;
but such wealth does nothing to appease the
beast, which merely swipes at you with an

oversized paw. You stagger backwards, intent
on escaping. Turn to 116.

192

The priest eventually seems to overcome his
initial mistrust of you, and seems quite

talkative; perhaps he sees few people in these
under-populated wilds. Now you have his
trust, will you steer the conversation towards

the subject of the Yeti (turn to 114), or will
you just continue with your general chat

(turn to 42)?

193

You open the huge doors of the chapel and

squint in the bright morning sunlight.
Glancing behind, you note that the place
seems almost warm and cosy, a haven from

the harsh realities of the world. Regrettably,
though, you must leave. Closing the doors

behind you, you wrap your cloak around you
against the cold air and set off in a northerly
direction. Turn to 195.

194

Now that you are alone once more, will you
examine the pulpit (turn to 197) or the seats

(turn to 199) of this quaint little chapel?

195

You head northwards through the knee-deep
snow, which keeps finding its way down into
your boots; this is very irritating. You watch

with a critical eye the sun disappearing
below the western horizon. After a night
spent in an abandoned farmer's cottage you

set off in the morning at a brisk pace as soon
as the sun is high enough in the sky for you

to see adequately.

After about a half hour you hear rushing

water up ahead, and you soon arrive at the
banks of a fast-flowing river. There is no way

to cross the torrent here, so you must decide
whether to follow the river downstream (turn
to 214) or follow along the banks of the river

upstream to the northeast (turn to 150).

196

You hand over the money and purchase the

scroll. On it is written the Snowstorm Spell.
Note this down, along with the scroll number

(#4). You may now buy Scroll #1 (turn to
52), Scroll #2 (turn to 222), or Scroll #3
(turn to 64). Or, if you have finished

spending your money, you may talk to the
owner (turn to 33) or leave (return to 17 to
decide where to go next).

197

Walking towards the back of the church, you

climb the semi-spiral steps - of which you
count six - up onto the pulpit, which
presides over the room. The pulpit is small

and cramped, although well made and
sturdy. You marvel at the smooth finish of
the wooden lectern. A book stands open on

the lectern, although it is in a foreign
language, and you soon tire of it. You settle
down to sleep and leave in the morning.

Turn to 193.

198

Walking towards the back of the church, you
climb the semi-spiral steps - of which you
count six - up onto the pulpit, which

presides over the room. You are marvelling at
the smooth finish of the wooden lectern when
a creaking sound alerts you that someone -

or something - is at the door . . . Turn to
118.

199

You walk down the central aisle between the
seats. Searching carefully, you turn up

nothing, although the hard seats and meagre
furnishings are a pointed reminder of how
poor the people in this area are. As your

search turns up nothing, you decide to turn
in for the night. You settle down to sleep and

leave un the morning. Turn to 193.

200

For about an hour you continue your

northern odyssey. Lulled as you are into a
sense of security by the boredom of the

surrounding scenery, you do not notice a
white shape moving towards you from the

west until it is almost too late. A loud snarl
from your left causes you to look up in
bewilderment; it is then that you catch your

first glimpse of the Yeti.

Ten feet tall and pure white, the Yeti is
almost invisible from a distance. It has large
forelimbs terminating in paws, which it can

use as arms when standing upright. The vast
bulk of the body is muscular and toned, and
the teeth in its mouth are wickedly sharp. It

is covered in a thick matting of pure white
fur, which serves to keep the beast warm,
but it also serves as impromptu armour.

Again, it lets out a terrifying scream; perhaps
it senses victory already? Just how are you

going to defeat such a horrifying opponent?
Turn to 167.

201

You duck and dive, running in a zigzag
pattern to try to outmanoeuvre the huge
bird. Up ahead you see a small copse, and

you make for this hoping to lose the bird in
the densely packed trees. After waiting for a

sufficient time, you decide that you are no
longer in danger, and walk through the small
wood to the eaves. After a final check that

the bird is no longer waiting, you set off into
the snowbound wastes. Because you have
lost the path, you make slow progress,

constantly having to retrace your steps to
avoid deep drifts. Halfway through the
second day, you reach a road dissecting the

landscape in a north - south direction. The
snow is knee-deep here, and you welcome

the respite that the roadway affords. Despite
the chill wind, you set off north at a brisk
pace. Turn to 195.

202

The path soon becomes a well-travelled
roadway and swings to the north. Ahead you

can see the walls of a town, and the roadway
leads straight towards it, You pass a farmer

who is leading a mule and cart towards the
town. You ask him the name of the town and
he replies that it is Arkelon, Wonder Of The

North. You thank him, despite feeling very
little wonderment at such a small town.
Upon drawing nearer, you see that the large

oaken gates are standing open and you make
for them. You enter Arkelon behind a hay
cart and nip quickly between the

unobservant guards. Inside, people are going
in droves toward the market square and you
are pushed along with them (turn to 17).

203

You walk north for some kilometres, hoping
devoutly for the freezing wind and driving

snow to cease. More than once you have to
stop to empty your boots of snow. Spotting a

post on the horizon, you set yourself a goal
to reach it, blocking out all the pain and
discomfort. Because of your determination,

you arrive at the post by late afternoon,
having made good time. The sign says that to
the east is a fountain and to the west is an

inn, where you may receive succour. Do you
want to make for the Inn (turn to 166) or the
Fountain (turn to 8)? The path also heads

off north, although the signpost does not
point that way. You could take this path

(turn to 29).

204

"Your best bet, mate," says the proprietor, "

is to make for Teckleton Tor, to the west. The
priest there is considered by some around
here to be some kind of oracle. As for me, I

know nothing." You can get nothing more
from the man, not even his opinion on the

priest’s supposed powers, so you thank him
and leave. Return to 17.

205

You remove your clothes and step gingerly
into the pool, which is very cold. You swim
out towards the middle, but you begin to get

cramps. You turn and try to make for the
shore, but you have lost all sensation in your

extremities, and seem unable to make any
use of your arms. You sink to the bottom of
the pool, unable to make it to the shore.

Sadly, your adventure ends here, at the
bottom of a freezing cold body of water.

206

You brush the snow from the signpost. You
discover that to the northwest is Teckleton

Tor, which you may visit by turning to 180.
To the southeast is an inn, which you may
patronise by turning to 177. To the east is a

Hunter’s Lodge, which you can stop at by
turning to 41. A wide, fast-flowing river
prevents any travel to the east.

207

You hastily read the words on the scroll. A

bright light appears above the Yeti's head,
which it stares at for a few seconds. Then it
swipes at the light, before growling angrily.

You have succeeded in angering it. In a
furious rage, it lunges at you. You had better
try to escape (turn to 1l6).

208

Your frostbitten fingers grasp the bow tightly.
Reaching into your pack, you take out the

silver arrow. Carefully nocking it in the bow,
you fire, praying for luck. The arrow flies

straight and true, hitting the beast squarely
in the chest, in its heart. Screaming in pain,
the Yeti collapses to the floor, writhing in

agony. It takes several hours for the beast to
die. Turn to 230.

209

You arrive back at the encampment just
before dawn, as the sunlight is breaking

through the darkness of night. You make
your way through the camp to Khris' caravan
and knock loudly upon the door until he

opens it, bleary eyed. "What do you want?"
he enquires, still half asleep. You tell him of
what you have seen, and his face drops. He

invites you in, and you sit at a small table as
he brews a hot drink to warm you.

It takes you almost an hour to describe to
him all that you saw in just those few, brief

minutes that you were in the settlement, and
he often interrupts with questions. He seems
particularly interested in the claw- and bite-

marks that you mention, and he asks you to
go into as much detail as you can about the
size and shape of them. Finally, you finish

your tale, exhausted at having missed a
night's sleep. Khris face is stern, and he is
silent for a long time. Finally he speaks.

"Have you ever heard the tale of the

Abominable Snowman?" he asks. You reply
the negative. "This creature, also known as
the Yeti, was responsible for the deaths of

many north-men, according to local legend.
It is a huge creature, eight-feet tall, with
mighty claws, and an insatiable appetite for

destruction. It craves human flesh, and it
has no sense of morality, no knowledge of
what is right and what is wrong. The last

sightings of the beast were well over one
hundred years ago. It is still used as a local

boogieman, used to send children to bed at
night, but few really believe the tales. W hat
you have described sounds reminiscent of an

account I read once, an eyewitness account
or a massacre accredited to the Yeti; but that
was over one hundred years ago."

"Did anyone ever try to kill the Yeti," you ask.

"Why certainly!" replies Khris. "Many tried
and many died. The Yeti was simply too
cunning an adversary, seeming always to

ambush the trappers when they least
expected it. Many men boasted that they

would be the ones to defeat the Yeti, and all
disappeared in the tundra. Most were never

seen again. A few were found, ripped to
shreds. Those that escaped vowed never to
try again."

“And what of the Yeti, then, you enquire.

Where has it been for the past century?”

Khris shrugs. "Rumour had it that a North-

man trapper killed it, but was killed in doing
so. Surely, there have been no sightings
since. I don't know what could have

happened. But as long as the Yeti is on the
loose, my caravan certainly isn't safe. I will
have to spend much more on guards . . . In

fact it will not be worth it, not with all my
other overheads. I will have to close down

this trade route."

You look directly at Khris. "What if I was to

rid the world of the Yeti?" you ask. "What
would you give me?" Khris gawks at you in
disbelief.

"This caravan is my livelihood," he slowly
admits. "If you could save that, it would he

worth thousands of gold coins. More than I
care to imagine. Would you truly consider
doing this for me?" You gallantly say that you

will. “That's just marvellous,” simpers Khris.
"If you return to me with proof of defeating

the Yeti, I will make you a joint partner in
this caravan trail. I can't say fairer than
that!"

You agree that he certainly can't, and you
readily accent his offer. You agree to meet

him in a town about a week's journey from
here, bringing proof of the Yeti s demise. You
stand and are about to leave when Khris

takes a pouch from his belt and hands it to
you. Inside are 25 Gold Coins. "You can pay

me back when you return, he jokes. He also
tells you that he will tarry here today in order
to allow you a full day's rest before

embarking upon your quest. As you settle
down to sleep, you have a feeling that big
things are finally coming your way.

Turn to 128.

210

If you wish to try to exploit the Yeti's
weakness, you must have some kind of

piercing weapon. If you do not own a Sword,
an Axe, a Throwing Dagger or a Golden
Dagger, then you must turn to 167 to

reconsider your method of attack. If you are
using the Golden Dagger, turn to 225
immediately. If you are using a Polished

Sword, turn to 179 immediately. If not,
continue reading. If you know what the

beast's weakness is, you will know where to
turn to now. If not, then you can make a
guess by hitting the Yeti's leg (turn to 103),

or its arm (turn to 137) or its chest (turn to
132).

211

You reach into your pack and withdraw the
scroll. Unfurling it quickly, you read aloud

the words written. The beast looks
mournfully at you, and you think you can
detect a glint of intelligence in its eyes. It lets

out a pained roar before turning into stone.
As a gory reminder of this ancient evil, the

Yeti, in its final pose, is letting out a blood-
curdling scream. Turn to 230.

212

You hand over the gold and the blacksmith
leans confidentially over to you. "Seek the
friar of Teckleton Tor," he advises. He also

tells you to watch out as a dragon has been
spotted to the north of here. You thank him

for his help and leave the smithy. Outside
you shiver in the brisk air, sorry to be away
from the huge furnace. Return to 17.

213

After briefly becoming lost, you manage to
find your wav to the traders' chop - a smart

freestanding building of red brick. Upon
pushing open the door, a bell tinkles

somewhere, announcing your presence to a
young man who starts talking to you non-
stop about fantastic financial investments

(pieces of junk!) You try to question him, but
he blatantly refuses point-blank to talk to
you until you have bought something. He

mutters something about company policy. To
see his wares, turn to 26, but if you have
already had enough of this fellow, you may

leave by returning to 17.

214

You make your way down to the shale bank,
but can see nothing, save for the ruins of an
ancient stone bridge. You turn to look the

other way, and make out what seems to be a
log cabin, so you make for this. It takes only
takes you about fifteen minutes to get there.

The door is not locked, and you go
immediately inside to escape from the

freezing chill of the winds, seemingly even
colder here by the river.

The cabin was, it seems, once a boat shed,
although there are no worthy vessels here
now. There is, however, a roughly

constructed raft attached by a rope to a
metal cable, which is attached to a tree on

either side of the torrent. If you move the
looped end of the rope along the cable, you
would gradually move the raft across the

waters without being swept away. If you
think this is a good idea, and would like to

cross the river using this method, turn to
217. Otherwise, leave the shelter of the
boathouse and continue following the river

upstream to the northeast. Turn to 150.

215

The owner of the shop seems genuinely

concerned by your plight, and tells you that
he has four scrolls, given to him by a

barbarian in exchange for food. He says that
as they cost him very little, he will let you
have them for only five gold coins each. He

does not know what magic is contained on
the scrolls, but is willing to do you a good
turn. If you want no part in this, return to

17. Otherwise, will you purchase Scroll #1
(turn to 52), Scroll #2 (turn to 222), Scroll
#3 (turn to 64), or Scroll #4 (turn to 196)?

216

You soon arrive at a major junction where

paths lead off northwest, west and
southeast. A signpost stands here, although
it is half buried in snow. You may take some

time to clear the snow from the signpost
(turn to 206) or trek west (turn to 41), or
northwest, where the snow appears to he

deeper, (turn to 180), or southeast, where
the path is lined with trees on either side

(turn to 177).

217

You push the raft off the landing and unto

the dark, rushing torrent. The cold, foaming
waters rush by only centimetres beneath
your feet, and your raft begins to become

unstable. The waters splash on the wooden
beams, making them slippery. As you reach

the strong midstream current, you slip and
nearly fall into the river. Adrenaline pumping
through your veins, you lie face down on the

raft, anxious to avoid any mishap, inching
the rope along very slowly. After what seems
like an eternity, you reach the far bank, and

you quickly disembark. You stand on the
windswept shore, watching as the raft falls
apart, the logs being swept away downstream

and out of sight. Turn to 220.

218

When you find yourself back at the main
thoroughfare that dissects Ordoker, you
follow it away from the village and out into

the wilds surrounding. After a careful search
of the surrounding area, you find an

abandoned cabin nearby, in which you
spend a damp, miserable night. When
morning comes, you collect you things and

leave. As you walk, once again the beauty of
nature strikes you, despite your restless

night; even in this harsh wilderness, you can
see her magical touch. The snow lends a
mystical aura to the environment, covering

the ground in a thick, white blanket. Now
you must decide whether you are heading
east (turn to 28) or west (turn to 90).

219

You sit and think as you stare into the deep,

blue waters of the pool. The pool is in fact
full of an essence, which sends those who
smell it into a dream-like state from which

they cannot awaken. They are said to
transcend the realms of mortality and travel
to other dimensions. This is hardly the end,

but the beginning. However, it does mean
that the paltry, unimportant quest for the
Yeti is now at an end, but you don't care

about that, now, do you?

Your quest ends here, on the brink of
discovering the meaning of life.

220

You clamber up the slope to the top of the
bank. The wind is colder here, and you draw
your cloak around you even tighter than

before. You set off, marching through the
pure, white snow. As you walk, snow begins

to fall, first just a few flakes, then faster and
harder. By the time the hour is out, you are
tramping through a snowstorm, your face

numbed against the cold. Turn to 23.

221

The road continues on for several days, with

nary a twist or a turn. You grow bored of the
monotony, and play mental games to try to

make the time pass more quickly. The
usually changeable weather remains
remarkably mild throughout the lengthy

journey, and nothing much happens. You
long for a break in the sameness, but none
comes. At long last, you arrive at the end of

the road and are confronted with a diverging
of ways. You may travel north into the wind
(turn to 28) or east (turn to 87).

222

The five gold coins glint in the sunlight

streaming in through the doorway as you
hand them over to receive the scroll.
Unfurling it, you see that it is a Flesh to

Stone Spell. Note this down, along with the
scroll number (#2). You may now buy Scroll

#1 (turn to 52), Scroll #3 (turn to 64), or
Scroll #4 (turn to 196). Or, if you have
finished spending your money, you may talk

to the owner (turn to 33) or leave (return to
17 to decide where to go next).

223

You traverse the snowbound path southeast
until it finally comes to an end in a smooth

rock wall. On this wall hangs a single Lead
Charm in the shape of a rising sun. You
reach out and take it, unsure of who or what

might have left it here, and why. Turning it
over in your hands, you notice that it has the

numeral IV engraved upon the rear of the
charm. This canyon is well sheltered from
the winds, and you spend the night here. The

next morning, as the sky is turning a violent
shade of red, you return to the ravine, noting
that one of the bridges has collapsed since

yesterday. Crossing the sturdy bridge, still
unnerved by the lack of a handrail, you make
your way north away from here. Turn to 58.

224

You easily find the marquee, or the Mage’s

Mystic Emporium, as a huge sign outside
proclaims it to be. You go in through the flap
into a large room full of makeshift shelves

and cupboards. You browse the items for
sale for some time, looking at tomes of magic
and spell components, but they are all far too

expensive; way out of your league. You may
leave in disgust (return to 17) or talk to the

owner in the hope of getting a tab, or a least
some discount (turn to 215).

225

You dodge back and forth, trying to find an
opening in the beast's attack. Seeing one,
you dart in, stabbing the beast with your

golden blade. Unfortunately, the gold of the
blade is too week, and your blow merely

bends the blade, rendering you defenceless.
Leaping back, out of the reach of the Yeti,
you determine to make your escape. Turn to

116.

226

You gallantly wield your weapon, goading the

dragon to attack you, but he simply dodges
back out of your range, taunting you with

blasts of ice from its nostrils. Eventually you
realise that you have no chance to defeat
such a monstrous opponent, and you stop

and sit down, waiting for the inevitable. After
some time, the dragon speaks. "I see that you
have spirit, mortal," he intones, "and I know

that you want to cling on to your miserable
life for as long as possible. So, I will propose

another riddle to you, and if you are correct,
you may live. Here is my question: Am I
going to eat you?" You must decide whether

you think that the dragon will eat you or not.
Write down your opinion on a piece of paper

and then turn to 59. If you would rather
make a break for it now, turn to 88.

227

The seats are hard and uninviting. They are
arranged in two groups with a central aisle
down the centre. You rummage around in

the seats, and turn up a magnificent Golden
Dagger. Wondering at its beauty, you pocket

it. Finding nothing else, you begin to make
preparations for bed. Turn to 117.

228

You trek northwards for a further day, with
no sightings of the Yeti. The path turns to
the southeast in a vast arc, and you are

forced to follow it. After a day's journey, you
stop and camp, spending a miserable, cold

night in the snow. You awake still weary, and
make poor progress the next day. The
weather is reasonably mild, although there

are several brief flurries of snow each day,
and the landscape is drear, with not so much
as a tree to break the bleak vista.

It takes you seven days to reach the end of
the road, which terminates in a major city,

where you spend a further two weeks being
cared for by those in the medical profession,

suffering as you are from exposure. You are
advised to forsake your quest and return to
the warmer climes of the south, and you are

forced to concede that the Yeti could be
anywhere by now. Packing your bags, you
take the wide Great South Road away from

this arctic tundra.

Sadly, you have failed in your quest, but at

least you have escaped with your life.

229

The day is growing to an end, and dusk
approaches. You spend a freezing night in
the trees, sheltered from the worst of the

winds and snowfall, and continue through
the ghostly forest the next morning. The
unnatural silence makes you paranoid, and

you imagine a dozen different monsters, each
more hideous than the last, to be stalking

you. You stop to gather pinecones, for these
are good kindling for tonight's fire when you
camp, and soon afterwards, you arrive at the

eaves of the forest. Looking out once more

over the bleak, white terrain, your spirits
soar to be out of the murky half light of the

oppressive wood, and back into a world of
sunlight. You soon change your mind,
however, when you feel the full force of the

wind buffeting you, and the snow being
driven straight into your face. Sighing with

silent reverie, you press onwards. The path
splits here, following the tree line east and
west along the eaves of the forest. Will you

walk east (turn to 94) or west (turn to 39)?

230

The Yeti is dead, and the northlands are

freed from the terrifying grip of such
overpowering evil.

Congratulations, you have triumphed over
adversity and saved the lives of many people.

You have also explored the icy northern
realms of and survived, a feat that few others

can lay claim to. You take the head of the
beast as a trophy and begin the cold, lonely,

perilous journey back to where Khris is
waiting for you. It takes you ten days to
retrace your steps, and by the time you

arrive hack at the place from whence you
started out on your quest, Khris has long

gone, busy with his trade route. No one
knows when he will be back, and he has left
no instructions for your payment.

Feeling foolish and cheated, you sell the
Yeti's head to on innkeeper as a talking point

for the price of a week's stay to recuperate
and set off in a vaguely southerly direction,
seeking pastures and adventures new,

determined not to be cheated this time. You
hope that you never see the cheating trader

Khris again, but little do you know what fate
has in store for you . . .

The End

... or is it?

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